Beyond the Grave
by ElinaLin
Summary: If Ellie thought everything was over, she was wrong. Ladon was bad, but they were worse. And she was still not over Skye's death, and bloody spirits begging for help were coming for her. And, Kailani wasn't much of a help. Sequel to Blackbird. R&R please?
1. Prologue

Prologue

"He didn't succeed."

The man sighed. "A shame. He was the only one whose spirit was fiery enough to go after that girl. I guess we have to seek another man."

"Not really, brother," the girl shrugged. "Why don't we just go by ourselves? It can be fun, seeing a town we've never seen. Besides, I heard that girl was cute."

"Really?"

"Yup. Besides, that horny boy's so cute. I want to see him. Oh, and the girl's still young."

Her brother nodded. "Better, then. Much more time with our little sis after we resurrect her."

"And, if we want to, much more time to live! I mean, c'mon, man. You don't want to have an eternal life?"

"We must die anyway. Grow up, little sis."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Can we approach her now? Maybe to scare her a little bit? Oh, I know! Let's just kidnap her!"

"We can't do things recklessly! They're a bunch of people working with the law enforcement. We have to make a plan first."

"Humph. Fine. When will we go after her, then? Make a deadline."

"… about a year?"

"That's so long!"

"If we show up too early they'll be suspicious! Besides, that guy's still in coma. Wait a little longer until he wakes up, so they'll think that _he_ was the bad guy, again, not us! That way we'll have much safer approach. As long as you keep your mouth shut."

"Fine." The girl snorted. "But waiting is so boring! Why don't we do something while waiting?"

"Like what? Killing others?" her brother asked mockingly.

The girl blinked and rushed to a bookshelf, took a large, large book that was even larger and thicker from the thickest law book you can get, and flipped through the pages then smiled triumphantly. "Actually, that's a great idea."

"What in the world?"

"Yes, darling brother, that was a great idea. You know, maybe if we have the same ability as that girl, it'll be a lot easier to approach her. You see, according to this book, if one gets sprayed by seventy seven different man's blood, then one will be able to see the dead. And, ooh, one can even control the dead if he wants to! Of course, with much practice it is, and it's really, really exhausting. But controlling the dead? How awesome would that be?"

The man rubbed his chin. "Hm… even though your idea sounds crazy, it seems rather interesting. Control the dead? That's one ability one would love to die for. So, you're ready for some hunting?"

* * *

Elisa Murray got insomnia. A lot.

And unfortunately this night she got that again.

Ellie sat up and looked at the sleeping Kailani beside her, clearly annoyed. That little bluebird had just woke her up from her slumber.

Ellie sighed and looked at the clock. She almost screamed when she saw the time. One A.M wasn't a good time to wake up when you have insomnia. She really wanted to scream but she knew she shouldn't. She was sleeping in the agency, below the same roof Phoenix, Apollo, Trucy, Thalassa, Pearl and Maya were sleeping. She didn't want to wake them up. Especially not at one in the morning.

She huffed. The reason why she got insomnia a lot was probably because she was such a light sleeper. Even the slightest noise could wake her up from her deepest sleep. Though she slept like a corpse (not moving at all, face paled slightly, never snore or sleeptalk except when she was sick), she'll wake up just like she didn't go to sleep.

She stood and walked to the bathroom. She thought about waking Kailani to accompany her, just in case there was a ghost coming, but she shook her head. Nope, Kailani would be mad. Besides, it was just a bathroom! What was the worst thing that could possibly happen? But she sighed anyway. She wanted a company. She really missed Skye. That blackbird wouldn't be mad at her because she woke him up in the middle of the night. Ellie groaned. She really didn't need to think about that. Grieving for Skye _yet again_ was the last thing she needed.

She reached her hand out for the door handle. How long had it been since the burning bridge incident? Four months? It felt much longer than that. And she missed Skye, a lot. Sure, Kailani was okay, but she wasn't Skye. Ellie just didn't know why she thought having Kailani instead of Skye would be a good idea. In fact, she wondered why she accepted Kailani from her grandmother in the first place. It looked like a good idea at first… but not really, no. Kailani wasn't as alert as Skye. Sometimes Ellie had to yell in surprise when a ghost suddenly appeared in front of her just because Kailani didn't act as her shield like she should be.

Ellie opened the door and closed it behind her, locking it though she knew no one would come in. It was a habit. She reached to turn on the lamp, letting herself shrouded in darkness for a moment.

In that moment, suddenly she felt a tugging sensation in her stomach, a sensation she always felt whenever she was about to see a ghost. But the tugging felt different. Weaker than usual, yet more intense. Then the light flicked to life.

And she screamed loudly.

In front of her was a spirit. His face was bloody, a gash visible at his temple, and his throat was slit open. He opened his mouth and spoke in hoarse voice,

"_Help me… please stop the pain…"_

Ellie dropped to her knees, her body trembled in fright. She never saw such a bloody spirit before.

Suddenly, the door was banged hard. "Ellie! You okay in there? Open the door!"

"_Please stop the pain… please stop it…"_ the spirit was crying now. _"Please…"_ then, he gasped (if he was breathing) _"But, but don't use your gift. Don't! Or you'll be hurt_!"

The door crashed open. The spirit looked at Ellie one last time, muttering the word 'please' one last time, and vanished.

And just like that, Ellie fainted.

* * *

_A/N: There, the prologue is done. Just like I promised, I write a sequel for _Blackbird_. If you haven't read _Blackbird_, I suggest you to read that first. This story will make more sense if you read that first._

_I know, this chapter isn't really that long, so I'll make sure the next one will be longer. I'll update as fast as I could. And Skye's death in the first story is important! That's why I make this story's title _'Beyond the Grave'. _Besides, if the two titles are read together they'll b_e 'Blackbird Beyond the Grave'.

_And I guess that's it. Reviews please, I really want to know what's on your mind._


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Ellie looked grimly at the table, shrinking under her family's gaze.

"Then why didn't you take Kailani with you into the bathroom?" asked Phoenix once again.

"She was asleep!" Ellie snapped. "And I don't really appreciate a bird with me while I'm doing some personal business, you know? A company would be nice, okay, but doesn't mean I want a bird in the same room when I was doing said personal business! I didn't know I'd seen a ghost in the bathroom! Can we stop this line of questioning now?"

"Ellie, look at me." Apollo stated, leaning forward a bit. "You know we're a bit protective over you, but we're – "

"A bit?" Ellie repeated. "No, you guys are over-protective! Listen, I fainted because I was shocked to see that bloody ghost! If you could see him you'd fainted too! But that's all, I'm okay right now, so stop this, okay? And stop worrying about me! It's not like some random guy would come and abduct me or something!"

"No, the last time Pearl was the one who was taken," Phoenix said. "And no one wants anything bad happen again."

"Only an idiot would hope something bad would happen," Ellie growled. "I'm okay, all right? I'm not going to faint again! Leave me alone!" Ellie stood up abruptly and stormed towards the roof, huffing and muttering curses under her breath, Kailani flying behind.

Phoenix shared a grim look with Thalassa right after Ellie walked past them. They both knew that it was best if she was left alone for the moment, but at the same time they were worried if something bad would happen. The time when she was alone and angry was the time when she was most vulnerable.

Once she was alone on the roof, Ellie screamed on top of her lungs to the dark sky. "It's not like I want to see a ghost every time!" she screamed. "Sometimes I just want to be normal, you know? But I'm sorry, I'm everything _but_ normal!" But of course, the sky didn't answer. All it did was turning its color from dark blue to lighter blue, telling Ellie that the sun was rising. She thought that it was still at least three in the morning, but she was wrong. Apparently she was unconscious for longer than she thought.

Kailani flew around her, chirping loudly.

"What?" Ellie snarled. Kailani flew back a bit, chirping again, sounded offended.

Ellie sighed. "Right. Sorry." But really, Kailani didn't really help. Ellie seriously missed Skye. Four months, for God's sake! Four months had passed since the incident, yet she still couldn't cope with Skye's death! She really needed to move on!

But moving on wasn't as easy as it sounded. Especially when Kailani, though had tried her best, still couldn't do things as good as Skye did. Ellie knew it wasn't Kailani's fault, Kai had tried her best anyway, but Ellie still didn't really like how Kai couldn't handle all the things Skye usually handle.

Ellie buried her face in her hands. She really didn't need this kind of thoughts. She had to think of other things! Anything!

For example… that ghost.

Ellie straightened her posture as she think about the ghost. Why did he tell her not to use her gift? If she really didn't use her gift then she wouldn't have seen the ghost in the first place. And why did he was in pain?

All the blood and wounds… If the spirit felt pain even in the afterlife, then his death must be really, really painful. All spirits were perfect, there was no way one would feel pain in his spiritual form. If he could feel pain after his death… Ellie couldn't think of any way of how he died.

Suddenly she felt a tugging sensation in her stomach. She glanced at Kailani – she looked like she was doing her best to be Ellie's shield, but she wasn't good enough, or the spirit was too strong. Either way, she knew that she'd have to see the ghost.

After a few seconds passed, a ghost appeared in front of Ellie.

She looked gruesome just like the ghost last night, but this time Ellie didn't scream. She wasn't that surprised now. The ghost looked at her and opened her mouth,

"_Help me. Help us! Find our murderer!"_

Ellie blinked, suddenly feeling scared. "Kailani…"

"_Please! Find our murderer!"_

A few more spirits appeared, screaming and begging for help, all had gruesome appearances. Ragged mouths, slit throats, massive gashes in the head, cuts and bruises all over their bodies, and extremely pale. Ellie turned to Kailani, screaming at the bird to make bigger and stronger shield so that the ghosts would disappear. But she knew that her attempts were futile. Not even Skye would be able to do that.

"_You have to help us!"_

"_Find our murderer!"_

"_He killed us! He tortured us! He took our blood!"_

"_Help us! Help us!"_

"_But don't you dare use your gift! You'd get hurt!"_

"_Find our murderer! But you have to be careful!"_

"_Don't let yourself fall prey in his grasps!"_

"KAILANI!" Ellie screamed, scared out of her mind. Kailani could only chirp in hopelessness, unable to do anything. Ellie knew that Kailani wouldn't be able to do something to help her, so she turned on her heels and started to run into the agency. But then she fell.

And Ellie realized that it was the exhaustion that made her unable to run. Seeing that many spirits at once had forced her to use much of her energy. She covered her ears with her hands, but still the ghosts' screams and pleas echoed inside her head. She sobbed.

"Leave me alone!" she yelled to the ghosts, but her voice was weaker than she hoped it was. Louder, she repeated. "Leave me alone!"

Instead of growing quiet like she hoped they would be, the ghosts shouted even louder, _"HELP US, FIND HIM, PLEASE!"_

"Stop it!" Ellie squealed weakly, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Stop…"

With the ghosts still yelling behind, Ellie finally found her energy and ran back into the agency, Kailani frantically flying with her. She opened the door and ran down the stairs, the ghosts running after her. She panted and ran into the main office, where her family still sitting around the table, waiting for her.

"Ellie?" Maya called, worried when she saw Ellie's sickly white face.

"Make them stop!" Ellie stumbled to a chair. Apollo looked around and screamed in horror when he saw the ghosts.

"Why do they run after you?" he asked, his voice high-pitched.

"Ask them yourself!" Ellie sat in the chair, curling in fetal position, covering her ears to block the ghosts' wail, rocking herself back and forth in attempt to find calmness. Apollo was lucky he couldn't hear them.

And, suddenly, more ghosts came into the agency, all in gruesome appearance, making the agency so very crowded with the dead. Kailani let out a screech before falling in exhaustion, unable to fly any longer. Pearl caught the bluebird before she hit the floor.

"Polly, what's happening?" Trucy asked Apollo in fear when the air around them suddenly felt heavier. She didn't ask Ellie because she was still rocking herself on the chair.

"I don't know… the office is suddenly full of ghosts…" Apollo answered, his own face pale.

Then the ghosts all wailed together, begging for Ellie to help them, to find their murderer. The energy force from the ghosts was so strong that Apollo could hear their wail and Phoenix, Trucy, Maya, Pearl, and Thalassa were able to feel the pressure from the ghosts and somehow heard a faint wail in their ears.

"_Find our murderer!"_

"_Find him! Find him! Help us!"_

"_Don't use your gift or you'll die!"_

"_Help us, find our murderer!"_

"Okay!" Ellie sobbed. "Okay, okay, okay! Just leave me alone, please!"

And, one by one, the ghosts stopped wailing and screaming. After staring to Ellie for a few seconds, one by one they vanished into thin air. Apollo let out a breath of relief when they were gone.

When the ghosts had finally all gone, Ellie slumped back and took a deep breath. They were finally gone… finally.

"Ellie, what had just happened?" Pearl asked.

Ellie turned to her family, her face even paler than before. "So many ghosts."

"And?"

Ellie closed her eyes. "They all asked me to find their murderer…"

"I feel a 'but' coming," Trucy whispered.

Ellie nodded. "… but though they were so many, I think the murderer is one person."

* * *

_A/N: Wow, I'm typing super fast! I didn't think I'd be able to update this story in this kind of speed. I hope I'll be able to update the next chapter this fast, if not faster._

_In case you're wondering, I'll write about the two people in the prologue sooner or later, so don't worry. And I'll reveal about all those ghosts in later chapters, but not anytime soon. I mean, it won't be a good story if I reveal them too quick... Please don't throw a book at me._

_I think I'll write about Ladon soon! I mean, I feel bad for him so I want to give him a second chance. He better not screw it up, or I'll be harsh to him._

_Reviews please?_


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Wait, hold it right there," Maya blinked. "So you just said 'okay' to a bunch of ghosts asking you to find their murderer while you're convinced that the murderer is just one person?"

"Yes."

"Ellie!"

"What? I've read Uncle Nick's case files, you've faced many dangerous situations, too!"

"But that's different!"

"How is it different? I'm going to face one psycho. It's better than two."

"Yes, it's different! I didn't have any choice back then, the situation forced me to face the psychos. But you have your choice. You can just refuse the ghosts' request! Why didn't you do so?"

Ellie sighed. "I didn't have a choice."

"What do you mean?"

"Those ghosts are stubborn. They won't leave me alone until I do what they want. It's better to say yes now. They'll grow frantic immediately anyway."

"You mean they forced you?" Trucy asked, her eyes wide.

Ellie laughed mirthlessly. "That's one way to put it, yes. I don't really have a choice, they'll keep on asking me. There aren't that many people who can see the dead, unfortunately I'm one of those."

"But I can see the dead too," Apollo frowned. "Well, after you gave me that ability, of course…"

"You don't have it naturally, so you don't have the… smell, emphasis on smell. For the dead I have a certain fragrance they can use to track me, like a bloodhound used by police to track dead bodies and all, because I have the talent naturally from the day I was born. Apollo, on the other hand, wasn't. He has the ability because I gave it to him."

"So even if you run away they'll still find you and ask you for help?" Phoenix asked.

"Exactly." Ellie sighed. "Now, do I really have a choice?"

The others shook.

"Well, at least this time it's better," Ellie stood. "There was a time when a ghost asked me to find her ring which was lost in a car accident. Every time I wanted to ask where she disappeared, but she always came back to ask me again. I had to search about her in every old newspaper in the town's library for a month until I knew who she really was. And I had to spend a whole week searching for that ring." She shrugged. "At least this one would be better. I don't think they'd be that stubborn."

"How are you going to look for this killer, then?"

"Simple. Ask one ghost. If that one doesn't want to answer, ask another."

"What if they all won't tell?"

"They have to tell, or else I won't help them. Usually that kind of threat is enough to force them to tell me everything they know." Ellie took a biscuit and ate it as she walked upstairs.

"Wait, where are you going?" Pearl called. "Mystic Ellie!" she called again when she didn't get any answer.

"Rooftop!" finally Ellie answered. "And, Pearl, don't call me 'Mystic', okay?"

"You think she'll be fine?" Phoenix turned to Thalassa.

Thalassa smiled. "Oh, she's fine even before we meet her when it comes to ghosts. Why wouldn't she be now?"

* * *

"Can you at least give me a name?"

Ellie panted, glaring daggers at the bloody spirit in front of her. She had been trying to make the spirit tell her who killed him, but the only sentences she could get from the spirit were "_Please",_ _"Help me", "Find him", "Don't use your talent", "You'll get hurt", and "You're using your talent"_. Ellie almost screamed in frustration when once again the spirit said _"Don't use it"_ instead of telling her the name of the murderer. She had known from the start that it wouldn't be so easy, but she had hopes.

"Why can't I use my gift?" Ellie asked finally.

_"He'll track you down,"_ the spirit whispered. _"He'll find you. He'll hurt you. You must be careful."_

"Yeah, okay," Ellie looked at the spirit closely. "Why can't you give me his name? It'll be faster to find him if I know his name."

_"I can't,"_ the spirit shook his head. _"I can't, I can't, I can't. He controls the spirits. He controls me. I can't tell."_

"Wait… he controls… how?"

The spirit shook his head violently. _"I don't know. I don't know! Sometimes his clutches could be very strong, sometimes very weak. I managed to run away from his control… but he's gaining more. He's controlling me again…"_ he cried out. _"You, the Reviver! Help me!"_

"No, wait!" Ellie gasped. "I still need to know his name! Tell me!"

_"Reviver!"_ the spirit once again cried out in pain, then he vanished.

Ellie looked at the spot he was standing earlier as if she could bring him back by sheer will. Kailani chirped from her shoulder and she sighed. "I'm okay, Kai. Let's get down."

When Ellie walked down the stairs she finally realized that she was really exhausted because of the talk to the spirit. Probably because she didn't only talk, she yelled and screamed also. And maybe because of the time. She had spent her last three hours trying to make several spirits talk – fortunately the last one was able to tell her something, though it wasn't the identity of his killer. Besides, there can't be that many people who can control the dead, right?

Ellie groaned when she realized how messed up she looked. Her shirt was soaked because of sweat, her hair messy because of the wind, her face a bit pale because of the exhaustion. She groaned again when her knees buckled a little under her weight. Maybe she wasn't as fit as she thought.

As soon as she reached the main office, Thalassa stared at her. "What hit you, a truck?" she asked in surprise as she handed a bottle of water.

"No, a train," Ellie answered. "I'm just tired, Auntie Tess."

"I thought you were going to answer 'a plane' earlier," Phoenix commented, chugging his grape juice. "So, did you get anything from the spirits?"

"Very funny, Uncle Nick," Ellie glared. "No, I didn't. Just those silly requests they constantly telling me. Oh, and one news, actually. The guy who killed them can control the dead, apparently."

Phoenix's bottle almost dropped. "What?"

"Your reaction is kind of like the one I's expect from Apollo," Ellie commented. "Do we have some food? I'm hungry."

"I think there's a leftover burger in the fridge," Thalassa answered, and Ellie bolted to the kitchen. "That is, if Maya hasn't eaten it yet. But she shouldn't eat it, though…"

"If you know Maya and how she acts around burgers, you can't be sure," Phoenix said grimly.

"Found it!" Ellie said from the kitchen. "I'm lucky, I guess." She put it in the microwave and set the timer. "Speaking of Maya, where is she?"

"Hunting burgers downtown with Pearl," Phoenix answered.

"And you don't go with them?"

"It's not like I have to go with them all the time. Besides, it's better for me this way. She won't be able to rip me off if I don't go with her."

Ellie grinned. The microwave went 'ting' and Ellie turned to take the burger. "Do you want some berries, Kai? I'm sure you're hungry, too."

Kailani chirped happily.

While the pair was eating their food they heard the door being knocked. After gulping down the last bites of her burger and drank a bottle of water, Ellie opened the door since Phoenix and Thalassa both glanced at her as if they were waiting for her to do something.

As soon as she opened the door she came face-to-face with an auburn-haired girl. Her hair was long, longer than Ellie's. She wore a white wide hat with red ribbon and a pink floral-designed summer dress. Her green eyes stared into Ellie's shyly, and she never once stopped twiddling her fingers as she did.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" Ellie offered as she let the girl went inside. She glanced at the girl. She was at least in her mid-twenties, and she had a pretty slender and petite figure. And boy were those heels amazing. They were at least eight inches high. Ellie, who had never worn heels before, looked down to her feet, which were wearing blue sneakers.

"Um… I'm… I'm looking for Defense Attorney Apollo Justice… is he present?" the girl asked, her fingers twiddling even faster.

Ellie's brow shot upwards. Being able to perceive lies, she was able to tell that the girl was nervous but impatient to see Apollo. Before she could answer, however, the door which lead to the room for case files swung open, and Apollo and Trucy walked out.

"I told you, she said she was going to marry Wocky Kitaki in about a month or so!" Apollo said.

"No, Alita Tiala clearly told us that it was longer than that!" Trucy argued.

"Trust me, Trucy, it's a month."

"Not a month!"

"Yes it is!"

"No it's not!"

The shouting match then started, and Ellie rolled her eyes while Kailani chirped nonchalantly. The auburn-haired girl, however, looked stunned and confused. Realizing the girl's desperate look, Ellie yelled, "Guys!"

When it didn't give her the result she wanted, she snapped. "Okay, that's enough! How old are you, ten?"

"He started it!" Trucy pointed at Apollo.

"She started it!" Apollo said, pointing at Trucy, at the same time she said the sentence.

"Guys, meet your soon-to-be-client," Ellie stared at them icily. The pair looked at the girl and blinked, visibly blushed.

"Um, hello…" the girl waved shyly. "My name is Renata Prince… I'm looking for Apollo Justice?"

"That would be me," Apollo stated.

The three jumped as Renata suddenly let out a (very) high-pitched scream and lunged for Apollo, sending him sprawling on the floor after almost hitting his head to the door frame, hugging him close. "Oh my God! I've seen all your trials and you are _amazing_! If I were younger I'll choose to take a law school and become an attorney myself. And you're _so_ cute!"

"Eh, what?" Apollo asked, his face bright red.

"Aw, look who's blushing…" Ellie smirked.

"We should take a photo," Trucy suggested, also smirking.

"We have to! Do you have a camera?"

"Right here in my palms. Cheers, people!" Trucy snapped a few pictures of the blushing Apollo being hugged by Renata with the digital camera which practically appeared out of nowhere. "Hehehe, wait until Daddy and Mommy see this… and also Pearl and Maya, too!"

"What? Not them!" Apollo protested. "Um, excuse me, Miss…"

"Please, call me Renata," Renata looked up to Apollo, her eyes sparkled, her tone of voice sounded like she was ready to do everything Apollo ask her to. The colors from Apollo's face drained in amazing speed and he was suddenly pale in no time. Renata's obsession was scaring him.

"C-can you let me go, please?" Apollo stuttered. Renata gasped and blushed, jumping back and pulling her hat to cover her face.

"I'm… I'm… I'm so sorry!" she cried. "I have always thought that you were an amazing lawyer, and I was just… I adore how you act in the courtroom, you're just so cool in the courtroom, and, and…"

"No, it's okay," Apollo stopped her, the color slowly returning to his face. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"It's really okay?" Renata pulled her hat down a little so it only covered her mouth, her eyes once again sparkled dangerously.

"Um…" the color that was slowly returning to Apollo's face once again drained. "Uh, if you're looking for me then it's probably because of a case, right?"

Renata's eyes went down, the dangerous spark died. "Yes…" she answered quietly, putting the hat back on her head.

"You don't seem like the type of girl who would do something bad," Trucy said.

Renata shook her head. "I want you to defend someone, yes, but not me."

"Then, who?"

"My brother. Raphael."

* * *

_A/N: Whee! I've always wanted to write about a fan of Apollo's since forever! Now I have the opportunity to do so. He's going to be a bit scared of Renata, but not as extreme as Edgeworth and Wendy Oldbag. I mean, even _that_ is a bit too much of a fan._

_I'm planning to make this story at least as long as _Blackbird_, if not longer. And as much as it hurts me to say this, but I don't think I'll be writing about Ladon for a while. I mean, it's still Ellie-centered. But I'll make sure I'll write about him as soon as possible._

_I think that's it. Reviews, please?_


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Renata pulled out a photograph from her small purse. "This is my brother, Raphael Prince."

Ellie studied the photograph. It was a photo of a man a bit younger than Phoenix. He has the same auburn hair as Renata's and dazzling yet calming blue eyes. He was smiling brightly at the camera, revealing a set of teeth too white to be natural. He didn't really look like Renata, but somehow seeing the photograph and seeing Renata, Ellie felt like the two left a similar impression. However Raphael wouldn't be as shy as Renata, being able to smile as wide to the camera like in the photograph.

Apollo's eyes widened when he saw the picture. "Whoa! _That_ Raphael Prince?"

"Who's Raphael Prince?" Trucy asked.

"He's a wealthy businessman who spends most of his money for charity," Apollo answered. "He's in magazines and newspapers a lot."

"And how do you know that?" Ellie asked. "Never seen you with magazines nor newspapers."

"I use the internet," Apollo shrugged.

"Okay… so why do we have to defend him, then?" Trucy asked Renata.

Renata seemed to be struggling to speak. "He… he was accused for… murder…"

"WHAT?" Trucy and Apollo yelled together.

"He doesn't seem to be able to murder someone," Ellie looked at his photo again, Kailani gave a chirp which told her that Kailani also couldn't believe that the person in the photo was capable of murdering someone. "Yep, definitely not able to murder someone."

"That's what I mean!" Renata suddenly blurted. "He wouldn't kill that guy! Raphael wouldn't even hurt a fly!"

Apollo, after jumped slightly in surprise because of hearing the sudden outburst, took a deep breath. "Slow down, Miss – Renata, I mean. Tell us everything, from the beginning, okay?"

Renata smiled shyly at Apollo. "Well… if you say so…" she took a deep breath. "Yesterday night, after my brother came home, the police went into our house with a warrant. They searched our house and found some clothes with blood all over them and a bloody combat knife. I didn't even know how they got there! Then they arrested Raphael for murdering this… Bobby Shoe or something. Which didn't make any sense! Raphael didn't know any Bobby Shoe! Until the police mentioned about him, yes."

"And they're going to take him in the trial for that," Trucy clarified, and Renata nodded.

"When?" Apollo asked.

"Tomorrow morning," Renata sighed. "I dropped by on several law firms, but they all rejected me. They think that my brother is totally guilty anyway, so why bother trying to defend him?" Then Renata exploded once again. "But Raphael didn't do it! I just knew he didn't! Please, Mr. Justice, please help me! You have to defend my brother, he didn't kill Bobby Shoe!"

Before Apollo could react, Renata has sat in front of him and looked up to his eyes with her sparkling wide eyes, her hands clasped in front of her. "Please, Mr. Justice, help me. For you, defending someone wouldn't be that hard, would it? You're my last hope…"

"Errr…" Apollo was obviously uncomfortable of the lack of space between them, so he moved back a bit and cleared his throat. "Well, I…"

"Please?" Renata asked again, her eyes even more shiny than before.

Apollo hung his head low and nodded slightly.

"We'll take the case," Trucy confirmed. "Don't worry, Rena, we'll make sure your brother gets a complete acquittal!"

Renata's face relaxed. "Thank you! Thank you so much! And about the fee…" she searched in her purse again. "How much…?"

"We'll talk about the fee later, Miss – Renata. Besides, we usually receive our payment after we have the acquittal, anyway," Apollo cut her off.

"Oh, not only you're cute, you're also so gentle," Renata sighed adoringly, and Apollo once again paled. "I'm so happy I can see you in person like this, Mr. Justice, I've always thought that you're too untouchable, unreachable. But you surely are cuter than your photographs… you're too cute…"

Apollo's mouth hung open in disbelief. Did that girl seriously had just said that he was too cute?

As soon as the words left Renata's lips, she squealed and blushed again. "Oh my God!" she yelled, pulling her hat to cover her face again. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to… I'm sorry! Oh my, this is so embarrassing… I… I…"

Ellie and Trucy burst laughing loudly. Renata's blush deepened, and Apollo seemed awkwardly uncomfortable. Once Ellie and Trucy saw Renata and Apollo's faces they laughed harder.

"Goodness!" Ellie struggled for breath between her laughs. "You two are one cute couple."

"We aren't!" Apollo protested. "We've only met!"

"But… but a couple sounded rather… nice…" Renata covered her mouth with her hat while her blush deepened even more. "Um, I mean…"

"No, it's okay," Trucy cut her off, still giggling. "We'll take your case, okay?"

Apollo sighed. "Right. About the case, what if we go to the Detention Center?"

* * *

As soon as Renata walk out the office (after one last hug for Apollo and another session of blushing and rambling) Trucy and Ellie ran inside the office and showed Phoenix and Thalassa the photograph of Renata hugging Apollo. It turned out that Phoenix and Thalassa was watching them all the time, and so they weren't as clueless as Trucy and Ellie thought and it was easier for them because they didn't have to tell the whole story. Shortly after, Maya and Pearl walked in and Trucy showed them the photo, despite Apollo's yelling and screaming.

"Oh goodness, they're such a cute couple!" Maya commented.

"No, we've just met, we aren't, and she's far too aggressive!" Apollo cried out loud, his face bright red like tomato.

"But you're blushing," Trucy said, pointing the obvious. "Doesn't that mean you actually like her?"

"NO!" Apollo barked.

Pearl gasped. "What? But, Polly! I thought you've just found your… your… _special someone_!" adding emphasis at the 'special someone' part, Pearl cupped her cheeks in her hands.

"Are you kidding me? She practically lunged at me without notice!" Apollo protested. "If she was an animal, she'd be a cheetah. I'm the prey."

Thalassa sighed. "Is that so? How disappointing. It's about time you start to think about a girlfriend, Apollo."

"Yeah, you surely don't want to be like Uncle Nick, having no wife in the rest of his life," Ellie shot a glance at Phoenix.

"Hey!" he frowned. "I still can look for a girlfriend, you know."

"Who, Maya?" Trucy asked.

"No," Phoenix's frown deepened. "We're just friends."

"Always have been, and forever will be," Maya nodded in agreement.

"But you two are perfect for each other!" Pearl protested. "Just like Polly and this girl, Renata!"

"I've told you, I barely know her!" Apollo protested again, his face redder than before.

Kailani chirped loudly and Ellie snickered.

"What? What does she meant?"

"She said that if you want to know each other, you'd be a perfect match," Ellie said. "Nice one, Kai."

"But I – argh! Can we… can we just stop? Please?" Apollo nearly begged.

"All right, then what do you want us to talk about?" Phoenix raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing," Apollo sighed in relief. "I just thought I should head for the Detention Center. I want to pay Raphael Prince a visit."

"Comin', Polly!" Trucy smiled. "Ellie, you want to come with us, too?"

"Eh? Is it okay?" Ellie asked.

"Of course! Besides, you've never seen how Polly usually works, right?"

"No! Don't!" Apollo said before Ellie could say anything.

The others looked at him stunned. "Why?" Ellie asked.

"Just… don't," Apollo sighed. "Come on, Trucy."

"I'll still come if you don't tell me your reasons," Ellie raised an eyebrow. "I mean, you know me. You seriously don't think that a simple 'no' would stop me, right?"

"Yeah, I know, but please, don't go with us," Apollo said as he grabbed his coat and went out.

"As if I'd listen," Ellie took her jacket and went out after Apollo with Trucy.

"Why do you think he told Ellie not to come?" Maya asked Phoenix.

"Who knows?" he frowned. "But I'm sure Pollo has his reasons."

* * *

_A/N: alright, so that's the next chapter. I think it's a bit too slow, and kind of boring for my own taste, but I'll make sure the next one is more interesting. Not really sure about that, but I'll see what I can do._

_And, please! Just one review for each chapter I've written so far? Seriously, I'm hurt. Surely you can at least leave a review, not just reading? I know it's still slow because it's still the beginning, but please. I need more reviews to make my stories better. I mean, I'm practically craving for more reviews! One each chapter is not enough!  
_

_So, please, leave me some, will you?_


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"I'm pretty sure I told you not to come, Ellie."

"And I'm pretty sure I told you I'll still come."

"Can't you just be a nice girl and do what you're said?"

"Nope. You know my ears aren't that good, they're picky. They'll only listen to the things I want to hear, and instructions and prohibitions aren't usually the ones they choose to listen to."

Apollo sighed, but knowing that he wouldn't be able to make Ellie change her mind, he turned his head and pedaled faster, though he knew he wouldn't get away from Ellie because she was pedaling right behind him, and Trucy right behind her. And he knew exactly how fast she could pedal because of the incidents months ago when she pedaled as fast as she could and jumped to the top of a moving car.

"Why don't you tell us why you told Ellie not to come?" Trucy asked. "You have to have a good answer, Polly."

Apollo shook his head. "No, I won't tell, at least not here. Later, maybe."

"I really don't get it, why can't I go with you guys here?" Ellie asked. "It's not like some random guy will appear and kidnap me or something."

"It's not that that I'm worried about, because I'm sure you can take care of yourself," Apollo shook his head. Suddenly he yelped, sending Trucy and Ellie jumping in surprise. "Shoot! I forgot to ask Renata about the victim's address!"

"Don't worry about the address, you can ask Raphael Prince or someone later," Ellie pedaled past Apollo.

"I really can't tell you not to come, can I?" Apollo sighed.

* * *

When they went in the room provided by the center for defense lawyers and their clients to meet, Ellie had no choice but to stare in awe. Not in the wow-this-place-is-so-cool kind of awe, but the oh-my-goodness-I-can't-believe-such-depressing-place-exist kind. It was the first time Ellie went in the Detention Center, so it wasn't weird if she thought of it that way. The grey walls, the lamp, the unmoving guard, and the client. But the client was the weirdest of all. Despite the depressing place, he was actually smiling brightly at them. He didn't seem to be worried about his arrest.

"Mr. Prince?" Apollo called.

"Ah, about time you arrived," he smiled. "Yes, I am Raphael Prince. I suppose my sister asked you to defend me?"

Apollo nodded. "Yeah, she did. I'm Apollo Justice, these are Trucy Wright and Ellie Murray. And her pet bird, Kailani," Apollo added right a second before Kailani chirped in protest.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Justice," Raphael's smile widened. "Renata sure is kind, asking you to defend me. I've heard about your reputation, Mr. Justice. That case about the painter girl – Vera Misham? Very nice. You are Mr. Wright's protégé, yes?"

"Yes, I am," Apollo smiled back. "I'm sorry, Mr. Prince, but can you tell me what happened? Why did they accuse you for Mr. Shoe's murder?"

Raphael sighed. "I went home late last night because of some works. When I was just going to take a bath, the police came and searched my house, and they found some bloodied clothes and a hunting knife. They arrested me after that."

"Do you know Mr. Shoe personally, Mr. Prince?" asked Trucy.

"No," Raphael answered confidently.

Apollo leaned closer. "Mr. Prince, I believe you are innocent, but I need to hear this from you in person," he licked his lips. "Did you kill Bobby Shoe?"

"No."

The young attorney straightened up, looking to Trucy and Ellie. Having the Gramarye blood flowing through their veins, they immediately realized that the businessman was telling the truth, but not the whole truth. He was hiding something.

"Mr. Prince, if there is anything you're hiding from us, I suggest you to tell us everything now," Apollo said. "The trial is tomorrow, and I really don't like it when my client is hiding something, because the secret they're hiding usually has something to do with the crime."

"But your job is defending me, Mr. Justice. You don't have to know the whole truth," Raphael smiled brightly, but they knew it was a fake smile. "Besides, I assure you, it has nothing to do with the case." And there, he was lying.

Apollo and Ellie both brushed their fingers on their bracelets as they felt the bracelets tightened. Apollo, Ellie and Trucy stared at Raphael in silence, thinking of a way to make the man tell them the truth.

"Mr. Prince, where were you at the time the crime happened?" Ellie asked.

"If not in the way back home, then in my house," Raphael answered. "Mr. Justice, I thought you only have one assistant?"

"I'm not an assistant, I'm just tagging along," Ellie said before Apollo could say anything.

"Mr. Prince, is there anyone who can prove your alibi?" Apollo asked Raphael.

"Only Renata," Raphael sighed. "It's going to be a bit difficult for her, though, if she has to testify. She's never good in the crowd like that, especially when she has to be the center of the crowd. She's just too shy."

"I can see that," Apollo whispered sarcastically, remembering how Renata lunged at him without notice which didn't seem shy at all for him, but apparently Raphael didn't hear him.

"Mr. Prince, are you sure you can't tell us the secret?" Trucy tried to persuade Raphael.

He shook his head. "No. I believe that is all I can tell you. I'd like to be left alone, please."

Before they went out, Apollo took out a notebook and a pen. "Can you tell us where Mr. Shoe's house is, Mr. Prince?"

"Sure," he scribbled the paper. "Here you go."

Apollo, now wearing a polite but triumphant smirk, stared at him. "Thank you, Mr. Prince. See you tomorrow at the trial."

* * *

"He does know something."

Ellie and Trucy looked at Apollo, who was jumping to his bike with the same triumphant smirk he had before leaving the Raphael.

"Who?"

"Raphael Prince. He claimed he didn't know Bobby Shoe, but he knows the victim's address. Doesn't that a bit too weird?"

"It is," Trucy tilted her head, "but why does that make you happy? Isn't that makes Mr. Prince even more suspicious?"

Apollo's eyes widened in panic. "I didn't think of it that way!" he blurted. "I'm screwed!"

"Maybe he just happens to know the victim's address," Ellie said. "Now can we go to the crime scene?"

"But why can't he just tell us? I'm sure it's easier that way for him."

"Yeah, but maybe he knows the killer. Maybe he wants to protect him – or her – or maybe he's afraid of the killer."

"Well that theory adds up, but…"

The discussion continued until they were right in front of the victim's apartment. Ellie noted the crime scene tapes everywhere. Trucy, who had just seen Ema in the room, called for her.

"Oh, it's you guys," she said. "I can give Apollo and Trucy a permission to come in because they've been used to it, but I can't let you go in, Ellie. Civilians aren't allowed in here."

"I swear I won't touch anything, I'll stay right beside you so you can keep an eye on me," Ellie said. Ema sighed and whispered, "Come on in."

"You seem to be in a bad mood, Ema," Apollo commented.

Ema snorted. "Obviously. The fop had just been in here, telling me to come to his office after I've finished in here. To discuss about the case, he said. I've already told him everything, why does he tell me to come anyway?" she munched some Snackoos.

"Can I have some of those?" Ellie asked. Though Ema wasn't usually willing to share her beloved Snackoos, Ellie knew she'd share some with her if she asked her.

"Believe me, you don't want to eat inside," Ema assured Ellie. "You're okay with blood?"

"Usually I am," Ellie muttered as she stepped inside with Apollo, Trucy and Ema. As soon as the three stepped in, their hands flew to their mouths. Blood was everywhere, and if that wasn't enough to tell them that the victim was probably in very much pain before he died, the chair in the center of the room was enough. It was a regular wooden chair, but ropes were dangling from it and it was completely soaked with blood.

"What happened in here?" Apollo asked.

Ema handed Apollo the autopsy report, which Apollo opened quickly and skimmed in even more quickly. "The murder was here. The victim's throat was slit open, that's how the blood sprayed everywhere. Besides that there were also rope burns, cuts and bruises all over his body. Adding that bloody chair over there, I think it's safe to say that the victim was tortured before he was killed."

"That's… awful," Ellie said, feeling sick.

"The room was messy, so I assumed that the victim struggled with the killer before he was tied there. And seeing that boxes of cigarettes are all over the room, I think the victim was a smoker. His lighter was found in his pocket. And an ashtray is missing."

"Ashtray?"

"Yes, ashtray. Oh, by the way, don't stay here for too long, okay? I want to get this over soon. Wait, you're not defending Raphael Prince, right?"

"We are, why?" Trucy asked.

"You are so screwed."

"What? Why?"

"Well, his fingerprints are all over the murder weapon, he had no alibi, and though he claims he didn't know the victim, there's still a high chance he murdered him."

"Murder weapon," Apollo muttered, skimming through the autopsy report again. "You mean the combat knife?"

"Yeah," Ema nodded. She skimmed another copy of the autopsy report. "The killer's a sadistic one. He slashed open his victim's throat from in front of the victim so he'd be showered by the victim's blood."

"But, according to this, the death wasn't instantaneous," Ellie mumbled, her face white. "So that means…"

"Yeah, he'd be in a torturing hell," Ema said gravely. "The thing is, your client is believed to be a serial killer. He's called the Slasher because he always slashed the victim's throat open. All the killer's victims have this kind of victimology, so…" Ema sighed. "This will be a tough case for you."

"I know," Apollo nodded. He looked at the autopsy report gravely. "But then again, it seems that almost all of my cases are tough cases."

Ellie, who had read all his case files, snickered. "Try to look for easier cases next time, Polly."

"Do you have a witness, Ema?" Trucy asked.

"The next door neighbor, Tamara Burns," Ema answered. "I'm not really sure I like her, though. She has a really big mouth and loves gossip too much for my taste."

"Okay, we'll check on this witness, okay?" Trucy pulled Apollo and Ellie outside. "Bye, Ema!"

* * *

"Who are you?"

The three were greeted by harsh response as soon as the door in front of them opened. The young woman inside looked at them warily as if they would steal her belongings or kill her if she let them.

"Are you with the police? Are you investigating Bobby's murder? Tell me who you are."

"Hi, Ms. Burns!" Trucy greeted her as if nothing had happened. "This Polly here is a defense attorney. You're right, we're investigating Mr. Shoe's murder, but we're not with the police."

"Oh, why didn't you say so?" Tamara's expression softened. "I'm sorry to be rude, but having your neighbor killed would do that to you, I'd say. I've already told the police everything I know. Yes, I'm the next-door neighbor, but I didn't see anything. I heard several screams, Bobby's scream, but I didn't think of it much. He loves occult very much, he even tried to have some séances sometimes though he isn't a psychic and he knows nothing about the spirits, so yelling and screaming and shouting are pretty much common to be heard from him. He's a weird guy, yes, but he's also a good guy. Really, really good. He even gave Mr. Smith, that old man downstairs, a new pair of shoes that he had just bought because he saw that Mr. Smith's sandals are almost broken! Seriously, how sweet is that guy? I can't imagine what kind of a horrible person killed Bobby. And there, one more nice guy in this world is gone."

Apollo stared at the woman in disbelief and surprise, almost thinking that it was only a dream because just a moment ago that same woman had glared at him like he was some sort of a criminal. She was a chatterbox, that was for sure. "Um… Ms. Burns? Is there anything else you can tell us about – "

Just then, the phone in Tamara's apartment rang and a baby's cry could be heard inside. "Oh my! Millie, Mommy will be back in just a second, okay? I'm sorry people, but I'm kind of busy now, please come back later, okay?" and without waiting for their response, the door was slammed close in front of their faces.

"Well," Ellie shrugged. "That went well."

The three head back to the agency for lunch. "This case really sucks, I practically have no leads and Mr. Prince seems to be really guilty," Apollo shook his head as he pedaled faster.

"Don't say that, we just have to dig for more evidence!" Trucy protested. "But well, that have to wait until lunch. I can't think without food."

"You're not the only one," Ellie agreed. "Man, I'm _so_ hungry." Kailani chirped in agreement. "Yeah, I know you're hungry too, Kai." Ellie said almost lazily. She hoped that Kailani wasn't that fussy, a moment of silence would really be appreciated. She really wished Skye was back, he really knew when to chirp and when to keep silent.

"All right, after we have lunch I want to see Mr. Prince once more," Apollo said confidently. "I'm going to prove his innocence!"

Ellie, who was pedaling in the front, suddenly stopped, forcing the others to stop as well.

"What is it, Ellie?" Trucy asked.

Ellie didn't answer, her eyes glued to the figure standing not too far away from them. His black hair was longer now, and is tied with a single red rubber band. He had a scar on his cheek, but it wasn't so big it made him look ugly or unrecognizable. He wore more casual clothes; black t-shirt and gray jacket and jeans. But she was sure he was the same person as she thought.

"Ladon?" she called.

* * *

_A/N: whoa, this chapter is much, _much_ longer than usual. I don't know why but I really couldn't stop my fingers from typing. Weird._

_Sorry if the investigation thing Apollo & co. are doing is a bit odd. I'm not really good at writing that kind of thing, but I really need a way to put Renata and Raphael in this story, and I couldn't think of any other way than putting one of them in trial. That's why I probably won't write much about the investigations thingy later, as well as courtroom chapters. I don't think I can write that part nicely. And I'm sorry if Ema is a bit OOC here. I tried to write her character as hard as I could, but it just doesn't seem right. And unfortunately I can't check her character by playing the game because my sister brings the DS to college. Sis, I want to play too! You better give it back when you come home next month!  
_

_I think that's all for now. I can write as much as I want because I'm in holiday, so I guess it's safe to promise you that the next chapter will be up soon._

_Reviews please!_


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

As soon as she called him, she regretted doing it. She was sure it was Ladon. She was sure that Ladon was a good guy, but believing in him was still difficult because of what he'd done in the past.

Unfortunately, Ladon heard her. He stepped closer to them, smiling as he did. "Elisa, it's been a long time…"

As soon as Ladon walked closer, Ellie backed away. She stared at Ladon warily, ready to turn her bike and pedaled as fast as she could. "I thought you were dead," she said.

"I was," Ladon said calmly. "I just don't stay dead."

He stepped forward again, but Apollo warned him, "Don't step any further." Trucy nodded in agreement while her hands moved and took her Magic Panties as if the panties were her weapon.

"I have no intention of hurting any of you," Ladon said. "I only want to talk."

"Talk? The last time we talked you almost put a bullet in Ellie's head!" Trucy pointed out.

"Fair enough," Ladon shrugged. "But I really do have no intention of hurting you. Besides, someone I hold dear the most wouldn't approve it."

Ellie and Apollo gasped as they saw a figure appeared next to Ladon. She had blond hair and calming blue eyes, her lips curled into a calm smile. However, the fact that she was floating off the ground and that she had eerie glow around her told them that the figure was a spirit.

"What? What is it?" Trucy asked Ellie.

"A spirit," she said absently. "Is she… are you…?"

The spirit smiled. "Yes. I am Rosanna."

* * *

Ellie stared at Ladon while she felt the wind blowing her hair. The wind on the roof was always strong, but this time it felt even stronger.

Rosanna was floating next to Ladon, while Ladon himself was looking to the Gatewater Hotel's roof. The two was, somehow, sharing the similar vibes. Ellie frowned. Ladon definitely had changed. He wasn't this relaxed the last time they met.

"Goodness!" Apollo suddenly exclaimed. "Ellie, you know that I have to see Mr. Prince again, and…"

"Don't worry, Polly, just go," Ellie said, but her gaze was fixed to Ladon. "If he tries something I'll just scream, I'm sure Uncle Nick can hear me from up here."

"You sure you'll be okay?" Trucy asked.

Ellie nodded, Kailani chirped noisily. "Kai says she'd protect me," Ellie translated, a smile crept on her lips. Even if the bird tried to protect her, she wouldn't be able to do much. Besides, the last thing Ellie needed was seeing yet another bird – partner – to die in front of her, protecting her.

"Wait," Rosanna suddenly said, "I want to talk to the boy first. Apollo, right?"

Apollo turned to Ellie. "Err, is she addressing me…?"

Ladon's brow quirked. "You mean you can see her but you can't hear her?"

"I made sure he was able to see spirits without being able to hear them," Ellie explained. "I know how stressful it can be sometimes."

"Can you make him able to hear me?" Rosanna asked. "I'm sorry, but I need to talk to him for a while."

"What? What's she saying?" Apollo asked, his expression colored by confusion.

"She said she wants to talk to you, so she wants me to make you able to hear spirits," Ellie told Apollo. "Is it okay?"

"Well…" Apollo scratched the back of his head, "I sure don't want to hear any strange noises, but… okay."

"Alright, then," Ellie stood up and walked to Apollo's side, yanked his ear down ("Ow!") and blew it hard until he screamed in surprise.

"Why did you do that?" he protested.

"To open your ears so you can hear the spirit's voices, of course!" Ellie said with an expression of innocence plastered on her face.

"Why can't you just make me able to in some more normal way?" Apollo muttered. "First you kissed my eyelid, then you blew my ear so hard I thought I wouldn't be able to hear again."

Ellie stuck out her tongue. "Sorry," she mumbled.

"Okay then, I'll leave you two alone to have some little chit-chat," Rosanna said happily, floating away from Ladon towards Apollo. "Now we need some time to talk… but we can do it while we're strolling down the street, yes?"

"But, wait, Ellie…?" Trucy looked at Ellie with her puppy eyes pose.

"No, Trucy, I won't give you the sight," Ellie refused. "It's exhausting for me, and I don't think you will appreciate some bloody ghost lingering to you."

Trucy pouted her cheek but she left with Apollo and Rosanna anyway. Though Apollo looked hesitant, he decided to go after earning some chilly aura from the smiling Rosanna.

"He should know better than trying to oppose her," Ladon said. "She can be really scary when angry. Even more because though she's angry she would still be smiling."

"What do you want to talk to me about?" Ellie asked.

"Still straightforward, aren't you?" Ladon chuckled.

Ellie looked at him. "How can you still be alive?" she asked quietly. "I saw you fell into Eagle River."

"I was… lucky," Ladon answered, but his eyes didn't meet Ellie's, tough she didn't detect any lie in his answer. "I washed up somewhere near a village. A group of woodcutters found me. They brought me to their village and called for an ambulance." He chuckled mirthlessly. "I stopped breathing in the way. The meds were frantic, they said. They managed to bring me back, though." He rubbed his chest. "One of them had to punch me in the chest so I can breathe again. The bruise was there for the whole week, or so the doctor said."

"You mean you don't know?"

"I fell into a coma for three weeks, Elisa. How could I have known?"

"Well that explains it," Ellie shrugged.

A small smile crept into Ladon's lips. "When I woke up, I suddenly can see Rosanna."

Ellie looked at Ladon, stunned. Kailani chirped in surprise, and if she was a girl she'd be babbling right about then.

"What?" Ellie asked after a moment of silence, after she was able to tell Kailani to stop chirping.

"Shocking, right?" Ladon grinned. "I was surprised, too. My heart literally skipped a beat when I saw her – I thought I was still dreaming, or worse, really dead. When I realized she was real, of course I was happy. I can finally see her. It seems that because I've been much too close to death I can see Rosanna's spirit. Strangely, I can only see her and not the others. Even when suddenly Rosanna talk to other spirits or something I can't see them, can't hear them. I can't even feel their presence."

"That's weird," Ellie commented.

"But enough about that, I'm not here to consult about my sudden ability to see spirits," Ladon suddenly turned serious.

"Then what?" Ellie asked, Kailani chirped in puzzle. Ellie glanced at the bird, slightly annoyed, but said nothing.

Ladon leaned forward, and Ellie did the same when she saw pure seriousness in Ladon's eyes. "After I was released from the hospital, I tracked everyone who might target you."

"Why?"

"I felt guilty after all I did to you," a pained, apologetic smile appeared on Ladon's face. "I don't want anyone experience what you've been, especially not you. Not again. So I tracked them down. Every group that wants your ability, every single person that wants your gift, I'm sure I've tracked almost every person. Strangely, I hit a dead end every time."

"Why?" Ellie couldn't help but ask. Even though she wanted to look nonchalant, she was also curious. Besides, if the ones that wanted her were really that many, Ladon meeting dead end every time was far too peculiar.

"They're all dead. Almost every one of them, at least. The others are too scared to continue their search after finding out the dead ones."

Kailani chirped in disbelief and fear. This time Ellie didn't feel annoyed – she felt exactly like how Kailani felt.

"How is that possible?" Ellie asked once she found her voice.

"I don't know," Ladon answered. "And I was bewildered. So I dig up some more and I found out that the person who killed them is probably the same person who told me about you."

"Probably?" Ellie asked. "The person who told you about me?"

"Yeah," Ladon nodded.

"Can this get any weirder?" Ellie asked.

"Yes," Ladon sighed. "Unfortunately, yes. As I said, this person told me about you. Everything. I don't know how he knows about you, but he tracked you down ever since you were born. That's how I know about you and your mother – I'm sorry."

Ellie looked at him, ignoring the last part of his speech. "And?"

Ladon seemed relieved Ellie didn't say anything about her mother. "I'm pretty sure that this person is a man. I never seen him in person, he always communicate with me through letters and phone. I don't know his true identity, but he did give me a name. Obviously not a real name, but I think it's a lead."

"So who's this guy?"

"He's known as the 'Archangel'," Ladon took out a name card from his pocket. "Of course it's a pseudonym. I have one myself, back when I was still hunting you. But I didn't use this kind of name, I use the name people usually use."

"And… what name is it?" Ellie asked, taking the name card.

"… Henry Duvall."

"Henry Duvall?" Ellie laughed. "Like the Henry Duvall in _Bartimaeus Trilogy_? Please! Having a fake name is okay, but at least come with more original name."

"I was out of ideas," Ladon grumbled. "And how do you know that name, anyway?"

"Isn't that obvious? I read books, novels particularly. A lot." Ellie rolled her eyes, still snickering, before diverted her gaze to the name card in her hand. "So this guy is called 'Archangel', and this is his… emblem?"

"I guess you can say that," Ladon said, relieved that Ellie dropped the conversation. "He leaves the name card in every letter he wrote."

Ellie observed the emblem. It depicted a single skull with a crack on its temple with a pair of wings bursting from the sides of the skull. The wings were kind of abstract, the feathers seemed like swirls instead of bird's feathers. Under the emblem was the name; Archangel, printed in elegant font.

"At first I planned to follow his orders and deceive him at the very end," Ladon said. "Besides, all he told me to do was to capture and bring you to him. But I wanted to bring Rosanna back, so I thought I should just lie to him. But, as you know, I changed my mind in the end. However, it is very possible that he is still targeting you and he killed all the others to make himself the top of the food chain."

"How do you know about that?" Ellie challenged. "What if he's actually dead?"

"He's not," Ladon said, "I've done some researches about it. I'm sure he's still alive."

"And that's all you want to tell me?"

"No," Ladon stared at Ellie. "I want to tell you to be careful. Archangel is nothing like me. He's far more sadistic, evil. Worse, he'd do anything not to dirty his own hands. You have to be careful."

"I have my family now," Ellie said. "I'm sure I'll be okay." Kailani chirped. "See? Even Kai agrees with me."

Ladon could do nothing but nod.

"I have one question," Ellie said. "When you killed my mom, why didn't you take me with you?"

Ladon sighed, looking very uneasy. "Well… your father saw me. I wanted to… snatch you and ran away, but I was scared. So I left you."

Ellie's head hung low. "Is that so," she muttered before she stood up and walked to the door. "Well, the past is the past. I want to go downstairs, are you going with me?" Ellie asked.

"Are you sure, Elisa?" Ladon asked. "Wright gave me a death glare before, remember?"

"You'll be fine, Uncle Nick isn't going to kill you. As an ex-lawyer he knew better than that. And, Ladon?"

"Huh?"

"Don't call me Elisa. Call me Ellie. Everyone else calls me that."

"Oh, okay."

"So are you going or not, Henry Duvall?"

* * *

_A/N: finally I've finished this chapter! It's kind of hard to write the end. And sorry about the _Bartimaeus Trilogy_ reference, I couldn't hold myself not to use it._

_I'm sorry if I took so long to update. I was also working with my own story. I'll make sure the next update is faster._

_Reviews please!_


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Ellie?"

"Yes, Uncle Nick?"

"Why is this person eating noodle with us?"

"Is it really that wrong?" Ellie put her chopstick down and stared at Phoenix innocently.

"Of course it is! He almost killed you!" Phoenix nearly roared.

"He said he felt guilty if it," Ellie said again.

"Doesn't mean he won't do that to you again."

"I won't, Rosanna will be mad if I do that," Ladon said between chews.

"Who?" Thalassa asked.

"The spirit of his fiancée," Ellie explained.

"Oh, don't worry, Nick!" Maya smiled. "Ellie's convinced that this guy is okay, so he must be a good man! Right, Pearly?"

Pearl, who was busy eating her own portion of noodle, only nodded.

"See, Nick?" Maya grinned. "By the way, this noodle is actually quite good! But not as good as a burger. Nick, buy me a burger after I finish this off, will you?"

"What? You mean you're not full?"

"Please, Nick! I always have a second stomach for burgers!"

Ladon looked at Maya questioningly. "'Second stomach'?" he asked.

Just then, the door opened and the weary-looking Apollo and Trucy stepped into the agency.

"Welcome home," Thalassa said. "Sit here, we're having dinner."

"Not hungry," the two muttered in unison.

"Just eat, you two, this noodle is good," Ellie said with her mouth full.

Apollo walked past her and straight to the roof, signaling her to come with him, while Trucy pulled her so she would come with them up the roof.

"Wait, why the roof?" Ellie protested. "That's my own special place! You better not take my seat, Polly!"

The adults plus Pearl watched them leave. Pearl stood to come with them, but Apollo's _Chords of Steel_ bellowed, "Don't come with us!"

"Why?" Pearl asked.

"Just don't!" Apollo answered.

"He's gotten so unreasonable these days," Pearl frowned, turning to Thalassa. "Did he eat the wring food or something?"

"No, I'm sure he has his own reasons," Thalassa said. "Maybe he just doesn't want to tell us yet. Do you want more noodles, Pearl?"

* * *

"What?"

Apollo cringed at Ellie's shout, which was a weird thing for Ellie because his own voice was always louder than hers. Ellie glared at the Gramarye siblings. "I can't see Renata or Raphael Prince again? And why is that?"

"Just don't see them, Ellie," Trucy said. "We're just scared you'd get hurt…"

"I'm not a feeble little girl," Ellie snarled. "You both know it better than anyone. You saw, you _experienced_, what happened in Hazakura Temple."

"And we remember you had a nervous breakdown right after that," Apollo mumbled. "Right, very strong."

"And I'm sure you both know how stubborn I am," Ellie ignored Apollo's comments. "Proud of it. Now speak! Why can't I see them?"

Apollo stared at Ellie. "Do you remember that last time, when I told you not to come with us to Detention Center?"

"Oh yeah, you haven't told me the reason why for that matter, either," Ellie glared. "Just tell me now. I'm all ears."

"I don't want to… stain you," Apollo said, his cheek turned into pink. "I just… I think you're still innocent, pure. I don't want to stain that purity by getting you to meet criminals. I thought you'd be stained if you were to meet them."

Ellie gaped. A moment later she giggled. "You know, you can be so funny sometimes, Polly," she said. "It's not like I'm a sheet of paper that's still completely blank. If I am, then I won't be the person I am today. I'm not that pure and innocent anymore. Besides, do you think I'll just commit crimes after I meet some criminals, after what I've been through before with Ladon? If that's the case then I'd be in jail by now and Ladon wouldn't be alive anymore."

"How can you say that thing with a smile on your face?" Trucy shuddered. Then she turned to Apollo. "But I've been with you all these times! Why didn't you tell me not to go or something? You know I'm not as strong as Ellie!"

_That's actually debatable,_ Ellie thought. _If you're really weak you wouldn't have told me to fight Ladon back then, you'd tell me to run. And I was only thinking of running away._

"It's because of your personality," Apollo answered. "Your mind alone is enough to shield you from the worst criminal. Ellie doesn't have that kind of advantage, so I told her not to come."

"Okay, but what does that have to do with the reason why you don't want me to see the Prince siblings anymore?" Ellie frowned. "They aren't criminals, right? You believe that they are innocent, right?"

"O-of course I do!" Apollo answered.

"Polly, you're a terrible liar," Ellie said, showing Apollo and Ellie her bracelet. "Even if I don't have this bracelet I'll still be able to tell." Kailani chirped. "Yeah, Kai said she'd be able to tell, too."

"Just don't go, Ellie," Trucy said. "What if you get hurt?"

"Do I look that weak?" Ellie asked, but her voice lacked the irritation and sarcastic tone she usually used. She was truly wondering about it.

"Um. No."

"Why can't you just tell me?" Ellie asked again. "I'm not asking you to do something that hard, right? I'm just asking you to tell me some – " her voice trailed off.

"Ellie?"

"I feel a ghost coming," she answered, her face a bit pale. "It's an aggressive one. Even someone without the ability to see them can get hurt if he wants to hurt her."

"Are you referring to me?" Trucy asked.

"Apollo and I are able to see ghosts," Ellie said. "Kai, please make a shield for the three of us."

Kailani chirped in shock and protest.

"Kai, please," Ellie shuddered. "I don't want to face this kind of ghost. I'm sure Apollo doesn't, either. And I don't want Trucy to get hurt."

Kailani chirped – babbled if she was human – in protest and panic, flying frantically around Ellie's head. Ellie snapped, "Just do it!" glaring at the bird. Kailani stopped chirping and landed on Ellie's head.

A moment after, a bloody ghost appeared before them. The temperature dropped instantly. Ellie's face went as white as sheet, Apollo's face went straight to purple, while Trucy, being unable to see the ghost but able to at least feel its murderous aura, paled.

"Kai, the shield!" Ellie nearly shrieked.

Kailani finally make out a voice that sounded like she was choking. Ellie then realized that Kailani wasn't able to make the shield she requested.

"_You have my murderer right in your clutches,"_ the ghost bellowed. _"Let me kill him… Let me take my revenge!"_

"Who are you?" Ellie asked.

"_Bobby Shoe,"_ the ghost answered. Both Ellie and Apollo gasped.

"Wait, Mr. Shoe?" Ellie asked. "You're… who killed you?"

"_Let me kill him!"_ the ghost growled. _"Let me kill my murderer! I'll make him pay! I almost have the information… I was almost able to grant eternal life! And he killed me!"_

Ellie cringed at the words. This man was one of those who wished to have eternal life which she could grant by giving up her own life.

Then the ghost looked at her. For the first time, the ghost _saw_ her. his eyes widened in recognition, and his mouth opened in surprised gape. _"You're the Reviver… the one who gives eternal life."_

Ellie didn't say anything.

"_Revive me!"_ Bobby Shoe demanded. _"Revive me, now! Or I'll make sure your friends are hurt!"_

"I won't give others eternity if it means that I'd have to die," Ellie said. "Unless if they are the ones I love, and giving them eternity is the only way to save them."

"_Then save her,"_ the ghost clawed Trucy's cheek. The girl screamed.

_Damn_, Ellie cursed. _I thought Kai is at least able to protect Trucy…_

"What was… ah! I'm bleeding!" Trucy stared at the blood in her hand, which dripped from the wound on her cheek.

"The ghost had just scratched you," Apollo said. "How is that even possible? I thought ghosts aren't supposed to be able to touch the living!"

"He's angry," Ellie said. "He wants revenge. And he desires to be alive again. Those emotions are strong enough to make him able to physically harm us. Kai!" she glared at the bird who flinched at her call. "Where's your shield? You should've been able to at least make it! Skye was able to! Why can't you do it?'

"AAH!" Trucy suddenly screamed. Ellie and Apollo turned to her and yelled in surprise when they saw that the ghost had just hit her so hard that she was sprawling across the floor. She gasped for air.

"Ellie!" she cried. "I can't see him… where is he?"

"No, Trucy! Don't try to fight him, he's a ghost!" Ellie said. She screamed when the ghost let his hand go through Trucy's stomach. The girl whimpered. Ellie had once gone through the same process, and she knew exactly how disturbing and how much it made someone feel sick.

"Stop it!" Ellie said. "Don't do anything to her!"

"_Revive me,"_ Bobby Shoe demanded.

"No!" Ellie glared. "Now go away!" she turned to Kailani. "At least make a shield around Trucy. That way he'd feel pain in his arms."

The bird did what she was told. A moment later the ghost was already screaming in pain and vanished into thin air. Trucy looked at Ellie with grateful eyes, but her face was very pale. "Thanks, Ellie, Kailani," she said, then she brought her hands to her mouth. "Uh… I'm gonna throw up…"

Ellie turned to Kailani, her eyes flaming in fiery rage. "What did you do back then, Kailani?" she asked. "You couldn't make a shield for three?"

Kailani chirped in protest, and the edge of Ellie's lip twitched. "You haven't been trained enough? So now you're blaming Gramma?"

Kailani chirped again, but the look in Ellie's deep brown eyes stopped her. "Useless bird," Ellie said. "Stupid, useless bird."

"Ellie!" Apollo looked at Ellie in shock. Trucy merely stared at her in disbelief, her queasy stomach preventing her to say anything.

"You're useless!" Ellie yelled to Kailani. "You have no skill you can use to help me! You can't even make a shield properly! Why did I accept you anyway? I thought you'd be useful, at least just like Skye! But you aren't! You've never been useful to me, not even once! You're nothing but a trash compared to him! If I have the choice, I'd choose to revive him and dump you! Go away!"

"Ellie, stop!" Apollo shouted. "Don't do something you might regret – !"

"There is nothing to be regretted," Ellie said, her voice and face void of emotions. "I don't want to have a bird that can do nothing despite the fact that she's supposed to help me."

Kailani stared at Ellie, a look of hurt feelings and shock evident in her sparkly eyes. Then the bird leaped in the air and flew away.

"Ellie, what have you done?" Trucy asked in disbelief. "Kailani had just gone!"

"Let her," Ellie said. "I don't want her anyway."

"Ellie! She's been with you all this time!"

Ellie turned, a fierce fire in her eyes. "I don't want a bird who can't protect my family! I don't need her!"

And she turned to look at the sky, a pang of guilt made her stomach churn. She didn't want to say all those things, but it was what she honestly felt. _What was done is done,_ she thought.

"Tell me," Apollo said, "was it the truth, when you said that you'd choose to revive Skye and dump Kailani?"

Ellie didn't answer that question.

* * *

_A/N: yeah, I know that it was weird, that Ladon is actually good. But I want to give him a second chance! He seems too sad of a character to be left alone. And dying in such way he almost did was too much, I pity him. He deserves another chance... right?_

_And I'm sorry for the long update. I was kind of... stuck. I rewrote this chapter for I don't know how many times. Apollo's speech was hard to write for me. Overall I finished this chapter in great difficulty... I can just pray it's not bad or weird or something._

_Please tell me what you think!_


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Ellie refused to say anything.

All her family plus Ladon were bombarding her with thousands of questions, but they were all answered with silence. Ellie didn't say anything, she simply glared, her eyes saying that she wished not to be bothered.

"What happened?" Pearl asked Apollo and Trucy.

"Yeah, you better tell us now!" Maya demanded, making her face as scary as she could, which was… not scary at all. Instead of feeling scared, Apollo and Trucy had to fight the urge to laugh.

"What, tell us!" Pearl insisted.

And so Apollo and Trucy told them what happened on the roof, with Ladon, Phoenix and Thalassa listening to them along with Maya and Pearl. When they finished talking, Maya had pouted her cheeks, Pearl had rolled up her sleeves, Phoenix had his face in his palms, Thalassa sighing and shaking her head, and Ladon looked pale.

"She did what?" Maya yelled.

"I can't believe it! Mystic Ellie actually told Kailani to go away?" Pearl fumed.

"I knew something bad would happen, but I didn't know she'd make a decision as rash as this," Phoenix mumbled.

"This is bad, Kailani helps her to limit the ghosts she sees and not," Thalassa sighed yet again. "Now she has nothing to limit the spirits."

"We've tried talking to her, too, but she decided not to say anything," Apollo turned to look at Ellie. He shuddered when he saw that she was surrounded by a group of ghosts and she looked pale and exhausted, but she still ignored them. She looked like she had shut everyone out of her world and making protection walls around her from everything, including the living. "It's like she tried to protect herself from the ghosts by ignoring everyone around her, as if whenever she said something the spirits will attack her or something."

"I'll try talking to her," Ladon said, rising up to his feet.

"You barely know her," Phoenix said disapprovingly. "Not to mention you tried to kill her. And before you say anything, no, I'm not going to let that one go."

Ladon, who had his mouth opened to say something, closed his mouth again and sighed. "I did try to kill her, but I regretted it. Let me just try to talk to her."

And, before Phoenix could object again, Ladon walked to Ellie and sat next to her. As if he was the sun and the ghosts were the shadows, the spirits all scattered away from the two figures sitting next to each other.

"Wow," Apollo said. "He must be some ghost-repelling person miracle or something. The ghosts are actually running away from him." Then he frowned. "Wait, that doesn't sound right. The ghosts never run away from any of us before. Why would they be running away from Ladon?"

Phoenix stared at Ladon. "That's an excellent question."

* * *

"Are you here to scold me or something?" Ellie asked Ladon as soon as he sat next to her. She didn't look at him, she simply stared blankly at the wall.

"Not really, I just want to ask why you sent her away," Ladon answered.

"I've told Apollo and Trucy, ask them."

"I want to hear it from you personally."

"I don't need a weakling that can't even protect my family," Ellie said, clenching her fists, but still refused to look at Ladon directly.

"Is that the only reason?" Ladon asked. "Is it that you refuse to stay with a bird that can't do as you say?" Ladon fixed his stare at Ellie before continuing, "Or is it that Kailani isn't Skye?"

Ellie's eyes widened. She clenched her fists once more and took a shaky breath. "Stop this."

"That's it, isn't it?" Ladon pushed. "Kailani isn't Skye, that's why you drove her away. It's true that she can't do things as good as Skye, but you have to accept the fact that Skye is dead. He's not around anymore. Kailani is the only one you have right now, so accept her!"

"_Leave. Me. Alone_," Ellie's voice went dangerously low.

"Why can't you face it?" Ladon pushed again. "Skye is gone. He died protecting you. Do you think he'd be happy if he knew that your new partner was dumped just because you're being a spoiled brat and forced her to become another perfect Skye?"

"I said LEAVE ME ALONE!" Ellie boomed. She stood in front of Ladon, her eyes blazing in raging flames.

"There, finally some reaction," Ladon said, leaning to the wall at his back calmly without giving any sign of surprise at all, unlike the others in the room who stared at Ellie with pale face and wide eyes. A broken Ellie, sad Ellie, happy Ellie, sarcastic Ellie, nonchalant Ellie, they can handle it. But seeing an angry Ellie made them feel, at the very least, scared. Her eyes looked like they could fire laser beams or froze fire if she wants to. She looked ten times taller than usual and totally intimidating. Apollo could almost swear he saw Ellie's hair looked like that of Medusa's, but that couldn't be – it was probably his imagination after seeing Ellie's scary eyes.

"I don't want to hear those things from you," Ellie said, her voice completely calm despite her angry demeanor – the kind of calm you usually find before the storm. "You, who killed Skye. Who almost killed me and my family. I shouldn't have forgiven you. You're bound to do those kind of things anyway – just to revive your sweet, beautiful Rosanna."

"This isn't about me, this is about you," Ladon said with flat face.

"Do you really think I'd care about it?" Ellie put her hands on her hips. "You brought this up, and I'm not letting it go – What are you lookin' at?" Ellie bellowed at the crowd which she didn't even notice before.

"I'm going to get some burgers," Maya said, fleeing outside.

"I'm going with Master Maya," Pearl, following Maya's example, fled outside as well.

"I'll go wash the dishes," Thalassa walk in amazingly fast pace to the kitchen.

"I wanna paint," Phoenix said and went into his room to take his sketch book and coloring pencils.

"I have to check the court record once more, I don't want to lose the case tomorrow," Apollo practically ran away to the office.

"I have to help Polly – I'm taking the role of his assistant, after all!" Trucy said happily, but her face was white in fear, then ran after Apollo.

Ellie's head snapped back at Ladon. She glared at him for a while until she finally turned and sat at the corner of the room. "I don't want to hear anything from you," she said. "Leave me alone."

Ladon watched her and sighed, leaving her alone.

From the office, Apollo peeked and saw Ellie once again looked like a lifeless doll. He saw her expression hardened and her face paled as some ghosts surrounded her once more before she buried her face in her knees while the crowd of spirits increases again and again.

_Ellie really shouldn't have sent Kailani away_, he thought before turning back to his court record.

* * *

The next day, despite Apollo and Trucy's warning, Ellie sat waiting in the Defendant's Lobby while Apollo and Trucy were handling the case inside the courtroom. She had tried to sit in there, but for some reasons the air was heavy of the presence of otherworldly beings, and so she decided to be in the Defendant's Lobby and waited for the others instead. Strangely, unlike when she was at the Agency, she was alone at the Lobby. It was like there was another person who draws the ghosts to them, which Ellie found strange. After all, the ghosts usually surround her like ants surrounding a block of sugar.

"Hey," Ellie heard a voice greeted her. She looked up and saw Ladon's face staring down at her.

"What?" Ellie asked.

"You okay?"

"Mind your own business."

"Okay, that was harsh," Ladon sighed. "Look, I'm sorry about yesterday. But I find the fact that you drove the bird away was stupid. You can't even sit in the courtroom now."

Ellie didn't say anything. The two spent their time in silence.

After a while, Ellie broke the silence. "Hey, Ladon."

"What?"

"What's the method to revive the dead?"

Ladon stared at him in surprise. "Are you planning to give up your life for someone else?"

"No, just wondering," Ellie said.

"Well, when I was hunting you I intended to use the easiest way," Ladon said. "Using a pentacle of some sort and a spell and it's done. But there are some more difficult ways, though it would lock the revived spirit more securely. I'm not really familiar with those ways. After all, Archangel didn't tell me that much."

"Is that so," Ellie said.

"You know, I think you better take a rest," Ladon said. "I just realized that you're really pale, and your hands are shaking."

"This is nothing," Ellie said stubbornly. "I'm going to wait for Polly and Trucy here."

"You – "

Ladon was cut by shouting and yelling and screaming from the courtroom – the one Apollo and Trucy were in. Ladon and Ellie's ears picked up some noises and jumbled words from inside the courtroom –

" – he killed – "

"NO! My husband!"

"ORDER! ORD – "

"EEK!"

" – elp us – "

" – let go!"

"No!"

"Brother!"

"Mr. Prince!"

"What the hell…?" Ellie stood up.

Then, the speakers suddenly blared, "All of the courtroom's visitors please take their leave immediately. Please stay calm, everything is under control. All of the bailiffs should come to the courtroom number four due to some problems there. I repeat, all of the bailiffs – "

"Courtroom number four?" Ladon mumbled. "Isn't that…"

"Polly and Trucy, yeah," Ellie answered.

Ellie ran to the door and stopped one of the bailiffs – by yanking his collar, that is – and asked him, "What's going on?"

"Miss, I have no time for this – " the bailiff started to say.

"Tell me!" Ellie snarled. "My family is in there!"

Either it was because of Ellie's words or because of her aggression, the bailiff answered, "T-there's been a… murder inside the courtroom. The defendant could somehow open his cuffs and attacked one of the visitors, killing him in such sadistic way. It's reported that he's drenched in blood. Then he took his own sister hostage and fled. Now we need to go search for him, so please let me go."

"The speaker didn't tell you that much, did it?" Ellie still asked before she let go.

The bailiff waved a walkie-talkie in front of Ellie's face before sprinted to catch the criminal.

"Wait, the defendant, isn't it Mr. Prince?" Ellie mumbled. "Then… God, he took Renata hostage? He didn't look like a kind that would harm his own family…" but of course she didn't really believe it. Ellie waited for the chirping that usually could be heard after she said something before she realized that she wouldn't be hearing it anymore. She sighed. Was driving Kailani away really a mistake? It didn't look like one when she did it…

"OOF!"

Ellie turned and screamed when she saw Ladon's limp body lying across the floor with a wound on the side of his head. Standing by his body, Raphael Prince smirked evilly at her, a broken flower pot in his hands. Ellie staggered backwards in fear. Raphael was drenched in blood. _Does that mean he really did kill someone?_ Ellie thought.

Then, a cracking sound was heard. Ellie's eyes widened. She didn't really feel the impact, but she could feel the presence of the one hitting her head with that something. Her body went limp and she fell to the floor.

The last thing she remembered was a girl, staring at her with teary eyes, mouthing the words 'I'm sorry'.

"Renata…?" Ellie mumbled before she lost to the darkness completely.

* * *

_A/N: Sorry for the long update! I know, I said that I think it's safe for me to say that I'd update the story a bit faster, but it seems that my 'manga-addicted-syndrome' had acted once again, as it usually does every holiday. Sorry!_

_But either way this is the latest chapter! I'm hoping that you enjoy it. Of course Raphael is bad, the most innocent-looking guys usually are, though he isn't really that innocent-looking... As for Renata... actually, I haven't decided about her. Maybe you can tell me what you think about her so I can make it up to you!_

_Reviews please?_


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The courtroom was in uproar.

The dead body was still lying limply on the floor, and his wife, kneeling next to him, was crying for his lost soul. Their daughter was shaking the father's dead body frantically, calling him and asking him to call out her name. The other visitors are all screaming and yelling – some running outside and continued the screaming in front of the faces of the people they don't even know. The judge was also shocked, but he could at least yell and demand for order in the courtroom – though his efforts weren't really necessary because all the people weren't listening.

Asking the bailiff of the courtroom to have some smacking and hitting to preserve the order wouldn't be helpful, either. He was the one Raphael murdered.

Apollo, in the other hand, though usually loud, could only slump in his chair and say nothing.

He still couldn't believe that his client really was guilty. He practically confessed to everyone that he killed Bobby Shoe, that he was the serial killer Slasher that the police was looking for. On top of that, he confessed while breaking his cuffs (Apollo really didn't know how he did it, he only smirked and said that every man-made things are bound to be broken somehow) and took a knife from his pocket (Apollo also didn't know how he stashed it inside his pocket – he was searched before!) and slashed the bailiff's neck open. Through the screaming filling the courtroom Apollo could hear Raphael's sadistic laugh in the air. Through the hazy images of people running, crying, screaming and basically panicking, he saw Raphael's blood drenched face staring right at him, challenging him to do something. To add up his misery, Raphael took his own sister and placed the blade under her chin and ran away from the courtroom, making Apollo feel helpless.

He couldn't do anything.

Suddenly the courtroom was full of ghosts. He didn't know where they came from, but their presence made him feel queasy. He paled.

"P-Polly! He took Renata away!" Trucy frantically yelled to Apollo. When she got no response from Apollo, she called again, softer, "Polly?"

"Trucy," Apollo's voice shook involuntary, "do you think you can get the two of us outside?"

"Well, yeah," Trucy answered. "Why?"

"Ghosts," Apollo whispered. He now understood why Ellie ignored everyone at the agency yesterday when she was surrounded by spirits. These spirits around him was searching for one with the ability to see them, but their eyes are screaming for blood. Faintly, Apollo could hear them saying, _"Kill them… then maybe we can live again…"_

If they realize he could see them then it would be a bad news for him.

"Where?" Trucy asked.

"All over this place," Apollo answered. "Pretend that I can't see them, okay? They look like they'd kill me if they know I can see them."

"Okay," Trucy nodded vigorously, completely serious and willing to bring her brother out of the courtroom alive.

The two stood and walked outside, Apollo a little wobbly. He took a deep breath and stepped more confidently.

The moment he took that very confident step, the ghosts suddenly stopped whispering and walking around, and instead took a really, _really_ good look at him.

Apollo wanted to run. He just wanted to run away from all the ghosts staring intensely at him, but he knew he shouldn't do it. It would tell them that he really could see them, feel them. He didn't know what would happen to him if they knew, but he knew he'd be doomed.

"Polly?"

"Huh?"

"Why do you think Mr. Prince did that?"

Apollo clasped his mouth shut. "I was thinking the exactly same thing," he said. His voice was still shaking. Not only because of the ghosts, but because of what happened. Sure, he saw someone died in front of his eyes, but he didn't see the killing itself. Besides, Romein LeTouse's death wasn't as bloody as this one.

Apollo flinched as one of the ghosts suddenly jumped in front of him. He didn't stop walking, though, only flinched. The ghost followed his movement and asked, _"Can you see us?"_

Apollo didn't say anything.

"_You can see us, can't you?"_

Apollo kept his silence.

"_You can see us! He can see us!"_

"Trucy – " Apollo's voice started to get high-pitched, but he was cut by a call;

"Herr Forehead!"

Apollo turned to see Klavier walked to him. "There you are. I need to discuss some things with you."

"Oh, it's you," Apollo said.

"You seem grumpy today, Herr Forehead," Klavier gave him his famous shiny teeth smile. "Well, considering what your client did, I wouldn't be surprised."

"What do you need, Gavin?" Apollo asked. "Sorry, I'm not exactly in my best shape right now, so make it quick, okay?"

Klavier took a good look at Apollo's pale face and asked, "Is it the ability Fraulein Murray gave you?"

Apollo simply nodded. Klavier already knew about it when they told him, along with Ema, Edgeworth, and Gumshoe, when they told them the Dusky Bridge incident. Klavier looked around and pointed outside, "Let's have a talk outside, ja?"

The two followed the star prosecutor outside, Apollo wobbled from time to time whenever the ghosts get too close to him. However, their attacks stopped once he stepped out of the courtroom. He straightened up and sighed, color slowly returning to his face.

"Feeling better already?" Trucy asked.

"Yeah, they're all inside the courtroom," Apollo answered.

"Well, Herr Forehead, I hate to do this, but I have to ask you to sign these papers," Klavier handed Apollo the papers. Apollo looked at them and frowned.

"These papers declares that my client is guilty of all charges," he said.

"Well, Herr Prince did confess in the court," Klavier said. "He isn't going away with it."

"He did, huh," Apollo looked away.

"What's wrong with you? Usually you'd yell and demand for another trial," Klavier raised his eyebrow.

Apollo glanced to Trucy. She looked down.

"What is it, Fraulein Wright?" Klavier asked.

"Actually," Trucy sighed, "he already confessed to us yesterday at the Detention Center. He told us that he planned to confess in the courtroom. We ignored him because Polly still believed that he didn't really kill this Bobby Shoe, but after what he'd done…"

"That's not all," Apollo continued. "He also said that he's one of the people targeting Ellie."

Apollo shoved the papers back to Klavier's hands. "I'm not signing these papers."

"But, Herr Forehead, your client confessed! I just need your signature and I can put him in jail for sure," Klavier protested.

"He's on the run," Apollo reminded. "I'm not signing anything until I've given the chance to talk to him about it."

"Well then, I guess I can't force you to do it," Klavier folded the papers. "You said he was targeting Fraulein Murray, ja?"

"Yeah," Trucy nodded.

"Where is she now?"

"We told her to stay at the agency," Trucy answered. "We think that it's safest for her to stay there."

"Though, being her, I don't think she'd sit tight at home and wait for us there," Apollo said. Then he blinked. "But right now she's not safe, Mr. Prince is on the run! What do we do?" he yelled, panicked.

"Now this is the Polly I usually find," Trucy giggled.

"Trucy, this is no laughing matter!" Apollo barked.

"But if she's in the Agency she'd be fine," Trucy said. "Right?"

"Well, yeah," Apollo hesitantly agreed.

"Excuse me… Mr. Justice?"

The three turned. They saw a girl wearing black dress. She wore white shoes, and from her neck hung a necklace with black magatama as a pendant. Her raven hair was cut short and she looked lively.

"Ava Hollow?" Apollo asked.

Ava smiled. "Ah, thank God! I thought you forgot me already."

"How can we forget you, Ava?" Trucy asked back. "Your hair was longer back then. And you look more lively now."

"I cut it a little," Ava smiled. "And I got more friends. But I stayed in touch with Mr. Price. Is he here? Where's Ellie?"

"Ladon and Ellie? Aren't they in the agency?" Trucy asked back.

"Tell me, Herr Forehead, Fraulein Wright had just seen a murder right in front of her eyes, how can she still be cheerful now?" Klavier asked Apollo.

"That's just the way she is," Apollo said. "No matter how hard the impact is, she'd still be fine. Don't ask me how or why, that's a mystery even for me." Apollo rubbed his head. Now that he finally paid attention to Klavier, he saw that Klavier's face was paler than usual and sweaty.

"What? Ellie and Ladon aren't in the agency?"

Apollo and Klavier turned to the two girls immediately.

"They aren't here, either?" Ava started to look worried. "Mr. Price called me last night so I can help with Ellie's spirits problem, since Hollows, beside of channeling spirits, are able to see them, too…"

"Do you get haunted by the spirits much?" Trucy asked, her eyes filled in excitement.

"Uh, no," Ava answered, "because I was trained to reject them, to build my own shield without the help of an animal like Ellie. It's tiring, using animals would be much easier, but looking for one with the same essence as you isn't a simple and easy thing. Ellie was lucky she could get Kailani." Her expression became sad. "Yet… she drove her away…"

"So the reason why Ladon called you is to…?" Apollo frowned.

"Why, to teach Ellie how to make her own barrier, of course!" Ava smiled. "Is she here?"

"No, she's supposed to be in the agency," Trucy answered.

"But she wasn't there," Ava frowned. "Mr. Price wasn't there as well. Mr. Wright told me they should be here."

"But they aren't," Klavier shook his head. "Does Fraulein Murray have a phone? Or maybe Herr Price?"

"Mr. Price doesn't, he uses the payphone all the time," Ava answered.

"Ellie doesn't have one, she's allergic to technology," Trucy replied.

"Right, so how are we supposed to find them now?" Apollo asked.

"Not to mention that Mr. Prince and Renata are also missing…" Trucy sighed.

Apollo put his head in his hands, looking distressed.

"Um… excuse me…"

Apollo's head shot up from his hands in an instant. From behind a wall, Renata walked to them. Her wide hat was clutched between her fingers. Her eyes looked red and puffy from crying. Her voice shook when she said, "I think I can get you to Ladon and Ellie…"

"Who are you?" Ava asked.

"Renata Prince, sister of Raphael Prince, the defendant of the case Mr. Justice is working on," Renata answered. She smiled sadly. "Already found guilty, I'm afraid." Her smile faltered. "Even though he didn't kill Bobby Shoe."

"But he confessed – " Klavier began.

"Doesn't mean he did it!" Renata barked. Then she blushed. "I – I'm sorry… I lost my composure…"

"No, it's fine, you said you can get us to Ellie and Ladon?" Apollo asked.

Renata nodded. "Yes. Please come with me, Mr. Justice, Miss Wright. And you are…?"

"Ava Hollow, a friend of Ladon's," Ava answered.

"Hollow Clan? Then I suppose you may come, too," Renata said. "Mr. Gavin, I'm sorry, but I can't let you come with us. Can you please tell Mr. Wright about it instead?"

"Was? Nein!" Klavier unconsciously blurted out in German. "Ich – I mean, no! I can't just wait here."

"But I can't let you come with me," Renata said. "You've already seen what Raphael is capable of. He… he threatened to kill Ellie…"

They all gasped.

"Please, Mr. Gavin, at least if you're here you can tell the police about it!" Renata begged.

Klavier sighed, putting his bangs to the side of his face, preventing it from covering up his eyes. "Well, then, I suppose I have no choice, ja? Please be careful, all of you."

"I'll call you if I need help whatsoever," Apollo said.

Klavier nodded. He went away, and the others turned to look at Renata.

"Right," Renata said. "Come with me."

* * *

_A/N: so! I decided to make Renata a good girl. But she isn't completely innocent, so don't be disappointed._

_As for the long update, even though not as long as before, well. Manga-addicted-syndrome hasn't been cured yet. Can't stop reading. I wish I can play the Ace Attorney series, but sadly my sister still has the DS with her, in her dorm at her college. Come home already, Sis! and bring the DS with you!_

_I guess that's it. Was it good? Was it bad? Tell me!_


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Ellie slowly opened her eyes and groaned. What was with the extreme pounding in her head? She felt like hundreds – no, _thousands_ – of little people are hitting her head from inside her skull. She softly rubbed the back of her head and flinched. A big lump was what greeted her unknowing fingers. She cursed inwardly.

She recalled what happened. Did Renata really hit her? She looked so nice. Why did she hit her anyway?

Ellie sat up and looked around. She was sitting inside a complex-looking pentagram drawn using chalk. It wasn't drawn plainly in one color either – the white, blue, green, and red from the chalk looked incredibly eye-catching on the dark-colored concrete floor. She noted that the pentagram had double circle instead of one, and there were words written using yellow chalk between the lines of the circles. The size of the pentagram was humongous, and she wondered how long would it take to draw it. She herself was sitting in the centre of the pentagram, right inside the pentagon created from the lines of the star. She noticed that the star was created not from lines but from words. Once again she found herself wondering how long to draw this particular pentagram, because she also saw four more pentagrams around hers.

In one of those pentagrams was Ladon lying limply without any sign of being alive.

Ellie opened her mouth and called out his name, but stopped midway and put her hand to her neck.

Her voice was gone.

In panic she opened and closed her mouth, trying her best to say something, even something stupid like 'the cow says moo'. But no voice escaped her lips.

She tried to stand and walked out of the pentagram, but to her surprise she couldn't move her legs either. She felt her hands shaking and she fell to the floor with a loud thump. Ignoring the pain from her shoulder she breathed heavily. Fear gripped her heart and she felt her stomach churn. How come she couldn't speak? How come she couldn't move her legs? Who did this to her?

"… you shouldn't try to move too much."

Ellie looked up to Ladon. He turned his head to her and looked at her with almost emotionless eyes. "I've tried it already from this pentagram. It seals my movements. But you're not paralyzed. I'm sure this is only temporary."

Ellie, whose hands and arms are working perfectly, opened her mouth and pointed it.

"You can't speak?" Ladon asked, and Ellie shook her head. "Darn. Probably it seals your voice, too. Just hold it, okay?"

Seeing no other choice, Ellie nodded and lay down. A moment passed in awkward silence. Ellie wished she could say something, but she couldn't.

After a while, the sound of footsteps filled the room. Ellie sat and looked around, curious of who was walking to the pentagrams. She froze when she saw Raphael, followed by Apollo, Trucy and Ava, as well as Renata at the tail of the group, walking to them. She already knew that Raphael was up to no good, but she never thought that her family and Ava would get involved.

"The sleeping beauty is finally awake," Raphael snickered. "I was wondering how long would it take until you're finally awake."

Renata, seeing that Ellie was conscious, ran to her. "Oh my, Ellie, I'm so sorry!" she blurted, kneeling right in front of the pentagram, using the double lines as a sort of boundary between Ellie and herself. "I didn't mean to hurt you… are you okay?"

Ellie simply nodded.

"Ellie, please say something," Apollo said. "Your silent self is always creeping me out."

Ellie stared at him.

"She can't," Ladon said. "See that pentagram? It seals her movements and her voice. I'm lucky I just got my movements sealed."

"Yeah, yeah, enough with the chit-chat," Raphael rolled his eyes. "Now get in the empty pentagram. I'm going to prepare the summoning."

"Raphael, please stop," Renata begged. "Do you think Rosanna wished this?"

"Rosanna?" Ladon turned to face the siblings. "How do you know Rosanna?"

"Ah, yes, you were the one Rosanna chose," Raphael said almost lazily. "So you don't know our connection to Rosanna just yet? For such a bright man who managed to catch her heart you're pretty much a fool."

"What do you mean – " Ladon's voice trailed off. "Oh. Prince."

"What?" Apollo muttered, clearly confused.

"I don't get it at all," Trucy mumbled, just as confused as her brother.

"What are you talking about?" Ava, who knew nothing of all the Rosanna ordeal they were talking about, could only stare in confusion, her eyes demanded explanation.

Ellie, in the other hand, had a theory in her mind, but her sealed voice give her no choice but to stay quiet and wait until her theory was proven true.

"Rosanna's last name was Prince," Renata said quietly, "just the same as us."

"Are you saying that Rosanna is your sister?" Apollo asked.

"Precisely," Raphael nodded.

"That doesn't make any sense! You look nothing alike!" Apollo shouted.

Raphael grinned. "As I thought, you're able to see her, right? You can see the spirits."

"I don't – " Apollo denied, but Raphael wagged his finger, and he stopped.

"Don't try to lie, you're a bad liar," Raphael said. "I knew you can see them, the spirits. You saw my sister, didn't you? She tailed Ladon ever since he fell from that cliff. I wondered why he hadn't died yet, his will to live must be really amazing."

"Not really," Ladon said, and Ellie was sure he'd shrug if he was able to, "Rosanna scolded me because I almost died."

"She did? I wonder what she saw in you," Raphael mocked, making Ladon growl audibly. "Well, here's the thing, Mr. Justice," Raphael ignored Ladon's growling, "Renata, Rosanna and I have the same father, but different mother. To put it simply, Rosanna is my step sister."

"What about Renata?"

"We share the same blood. Rosanna was the only one who didn't share our blood."

"So that's why you want to revive Rosanna?" Trucy asked. "Because you're her brother? Because you love her so much you don't think it was time for her to die?"

"More or less."

"You even used me before," Ladon growled. "Didn't you, _Archangel_?"

While others gaped in surprise, Renata sighed and started mumbling incoherently, and Raphael chuckled and clapped his hands. "I didn't think you'd realize! Well done, Ladon."

"Now that I think about it, it's pretty easy, actually," Ladon said. "Raphael is one of the Archangels."

"But isn't Raphael a kind of healing angel?" Trucy tapped her cheek in thought.

"This is a king of healing, my dear," Raphael said, a twisted smile appearing in his face. "To bring back Rosanna to life. I see it as a kind of healing."

"Can you get any sicker than this?" Ava blurted. "If that's so, then you'll take Ellie's life away! Rosanna would have to live in Ellie's body! As her! That's just the same as killing her! Do you think your sister will appreciate that?"

"What?" Renata snapped. "But, Raphael! You said this technique won't take away any life! You promised! Did you lie to me?"

"I'll do anything," Raphael snarled, "to get my sister back. Now get in those pentagrams. I need witnesses to ensure the ritual's succession."

"Wait – "

"Just get in there!" Raphael pushed Apollo, Trucy, Ava and Renata into one of the empty pentagrams. In an instant a flash appeared and the pentagram's lines glowed. Apollo tried to get out but the lights from the lines pricked his fingers. He yelped in pain.

"Once you're in there you won't be getting back out," Raphael said. "At least not until the ritual is over."

"But you shouldn't be able to call the spirit forth!" Ava yelled. "Only a female can possess such spiritual power!"

Raphael chuckled. "You mean that Fey crap about only females have spiritual power? That's nonsense. I can call Rosanna if I want to. In fact, I already did." He waved to another empty pentagram, and inside the pentagram a spirit was floating. Ellie immediately recognize her features.

"Rosanna!" Ladon called. "But why… how?"

"Why is there suddenly a person inside the pentagram?" Trucy asked. "Wait, why is she floating?"

"That's Rosanna's spirit," Apollo informed. "But why didn't I see her earlier?" Ellie was thinking of the exactly same thing. Inside the pentagram, Rosanna stared at them with pleading eyes, asking silently to be released from her pentagram.

"Possibly because of the pentagrams," Ava answered, seeing Rosanna's pleading eyes but knowing she could do nothing about it. "As you know, the Hollow Clan's techniques of spirit channeling is different from the Fey Clan's. We use pentagrams, though our pentagrams aren't as complicated as these. However, I recognize some symbols in that pentagram, and it makes the spirit inside of it invisible from everyone, even those who have the ability to see, and makes the spirit visible to everyone even though they have no ability to see at the will of the person who will put the spirit inside the channeler's body. What intrigues me is, these pentagrams are all detailed and beautiful. It takes time to make only one of these pentagrams, and this person made five, and in such detail. I want to know who made these. He, or she, must be really talented in art."

"I did," Renata mumbled. "Raphael told me to."

"Your work is marvelous!" Ava said in awe, while Apollo yelled, "Why did you? He'd kill Ellie!"

Renata began to sob, and Trucy and Ava glared at Apollo. "I'm so sorry," she cried. "I trust Raphael with all my life. He said he won't take away any life! He said he would only… borrow Ellie's ability to revive the spirit. He didn't tell me that he'd have to use Ellie's body as a container! I didn't know! I'm so sorry…"

"Stop being a crybaby, Renata," Raphael said. "When Rosanna's back with us, everything will be fine again."

"But you can't do it!" Ava yelled. "Even with the greatest spiritual power, no one can be sure a channeling will be safe except if the one doing it is a member of the Fey Clan, which has the most perfect control over their spiritual power. You can't do it without any help, unless if you want to kill everyone in this room, including yourself!"

"Says who I have no help?" Raphael raised an eyebrow and walked to the back of the building. A moment later he walked back with a birdcage resting in his hand. Ellie gasped when she saw what – who – was in the cage.

_Kailani_, she mouthed.

"I see you recognize this pretty little bird, Miss Murray," Raphael smiled to Ellie. "Indeed, it is your pet bird. She flew away to this place. I captured her earlier before I put you into your pentagram. She's quite a fighter, isn't she?" Raphael chuckled when Kailani chirped angrily. "Well, a fighter or not, she's going to help me achieve my goal."

"Raphael, stop!" Rosanna shouted. Her voice strangely echoed through the empty space. "I don't want this. I don't want to be revived!"

"Nonsense!" Raphael spat. "You'll see when you're back and breathing again. You'll be grateful I revived you!"

"I don't want a new life, not if that means it will take other's life away!" Rosanna yelled. "And I don't want to turn my brother into a murderer!"

"I'm not killing anyone, Rosie," Raphael said. "I'm only renewing your life."

"No, I don't want this!" Rosanna yelled again.

"Quiet!" Raphael snarled and Rosanna's mouth clapped shut. She struggled to say something else, but her jaws remained locked. She stared at Raphael in questioning look.

"I'm already a murderer," Raphael said quietly. "I already killed seventy two men."

"What?" Rosanna couldn't believe it. "Why?"

"To be able to see spirits," Raphael answered. "To be able to control them."

"No!" Rosanna yelled. "The Raphael I knew wasn't like this. He wasn't a murderer!"

"I am now!" Raphael yelled back. "I killed them all! And for the record, Mr. Justice, I killed that Bobby Shoe, too."

Apollo grimaced when he felt his bracelet tightened. Ellie gasped when she felt the same thing.

"You didn't kill him," Apollo stated.

"I did," Raphael repeated, his gaze growing cold. Apollo took a deep breath and tried to stop himself from shaking when he felt his bracelet tightened more. Ellie, in the other hand, had already moaning without voice and gripping her wrist in pain.

"You didn't," Apollo pushed, though his voice was beginning to shake because of the pain. "I know you didn't. Just tell us the truth."

"I killed him."

Renata looked up to Apollo with eyes full of tears. "I did. I killed Bobby Shoe," she sobbed.

* * *

_A/N: I'm sorry for the long update! No reason really, I just being plain lazy and chose to play and went shopping and reading manga (manga-addicted-syndrome still not cured yet, yeah) and novels or something instead of typing. I'm bad. Throw a Snackoo at me._

_Anyway there's the next chapter. I tried to make it as good as I can, and I think it's good enough. Did you see that one coming, Renata's confession? I thought it would be a good twist in the story. I can't make her totally and completely innocent! But she isn't truly guilty either, I'll make a way to justify her actions somehow (though I still don't know how)._

_So, tell me what you think! Reviews?_


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Everyone was too shocked at Renata's confession to say anything.

"What?"

Renata drew a shaky breath. "About… four months ago, after we heard about Ladon's accident… I showed Raphael a book that states that if a man murders 77 other men and drenches in their blood, then the man will have the ability to see and control the dead. And Raphael seemed to want to do it. Of course after that I told him that I was only joking, and he laughed, too, so I didn't think he'd actually kill someone…"

Raphael rolled his eyes as Renata drew another shaky breath and continued, "In these four months he kept on asking about how I would do it if I want to kill someone. I thought he was only joking, so I kept answering. I was pretty good of a planner, and the way Raphael asked me was just… challenging. I couldn't help but answer. I didn't know he actually did what I said! I didn't know… I never would've known."

"But you knew," Ladon said quietly.

"I found out when he got home three days before Bobby Shoe's murder," Renata said. "I was reading, and he burst in drenched in blood. I almost screamed, I thought he was some crazy guy or something. When I realized it was him, I almost fainted. I asked him why he was drenched in blood, and he told me… everything. About how he had actually killing many before and made sure that he was drenched in their blood. I mean, I know about his 'Archangel' thing, I knew that he… used Ladon to revive Rosanna, but that was all. Raphael could be very persuasive. But I didn't know that he'd be such a sadist…"

Renata looked up, and Apollo saw that tears had been falling freely from her eyes. "I wanted Rosanna to be back. I wanted that so badly. But I never thought that it would have to take away other's life. I thought that it would only borrow Ellie's consciousness, that the two souls would live together in the same body. Turned out I was wrong, Ellie's presence will be wiped away if Rosanna got in her body.

"And I told Raphael that, but he told me he didn't care. He only wanted Rosanna back. He said that everything will be fine again once Rosanna is back. That everything will be back like it once was. We'd be together again, just like we used to be. I refused that idea, because that… happiness… will be obtained after we killed an innocent girl. I can tolerate him using others, but I can't tolerate him killing others. I told him to stop, but he didn't want to. He said he had already killed seventy one, he only needed four more."

"Seventy one in four months?" Trucy repeated in disbelief. Renata nodded.

"Dude, you're one messed up guy," Ava commented.

"That's just too sick, it's crazy," Apollo said, his face pale.

"Have you considered meeting a psychiatrist?" Ladon asked.

"I watched _Criminal Minds_ some time ago, and I got the impression that if a guy kills someone a week after his last murder then he's already raising some red flags. Then what would you call him?" Trucy pointed Raphael.

"Right, forget the psychiatrist, just call the FBI," Ladon shrugged. "He needs a confinement cell."

Raphael simply rolled his eyes.

"But why did you kill Bobby Shoe?" Apollo led Renata back to the track.

"Because Raphael asked me to," Renata said. "He managed to convince me that it was a… necessary sacrifice. He watched me doing that. He watched me slashed his throat open, but before that he… tortured… him." Renata sobbed. "I couldn't bear to watch it. I almost threw up. I cried until my voice was hoarse, begging him to stop. But he didn't stop. Then he told me to slash Bobby Shoe's throat open. I didn't want to, but he forced me. Then he took an ashtray and took his blood and… bathed in the blood. Then he took the ashtray with him, saying that it was a souvenir. He changed his clothes and so did I. I put the clothes in the dumpster and we hurried back home. I took the knife with me because Raphael said that he always uses that knife. It was late at night so I just left it, bloody, at the sink before I cleaned it. The next day, before I can clean it, the police came. They found the knife, and they said that it matched the wound in Bobby Shoe's body. And they also found the clothes – Raphael took them with him and he wanted to burn them, he said, but he hasn't got the time."

"And then you asked me to defend him," Apollo said. "Why?"

"Because of your perfect record," Renata answered. "I didn't lie about me admiring you. You are the best defense attorney in town, that's why I asked you. I thought you'd find a loophole somehow, and save my brother." Renata sighed. "I never thought he'd confessed."

"Stop this nonsense," Raphael suddenly barked, sounding irritated. "Shut up and let me start this thing."

Without waiting for an answer, Raphael stepped into the remaining empty pentagram. He put Kailani's cage down and took a deep breath.

Ellie stared at Kailani. She knew she was wrong to drive Kailani away, but part of her was convinced that Kailani was able to take care of herself. Apparently she was wrong. Again.

Kailani chirped noisily at her, begging to be freed, to be helped. Ellie turned her head from the bird, being unable to do anything in her state. The chirps died, and everything went silent.

"Finally," Raphael sighed, and began to chant in a language no one recognized, not even Renata. However, she realized what her brother was doing.

"Where did you learn this spell?" she asked in horror. "Raphael, stop!"

He ignored Renata's plead.

The temperature in the room dropped rapidly. Cold wind began to whirl around Ellie's pentagram, and she looked around in fear. She locked eyes with Trucy and Apollo, and silently begged them to help, to free her from her prison. A look of helplessness dominated the sibling's eyes as they shook their heads. A single tear made its way through Ellie's cheek. She already knew that Apollo and Trucy wouldn't be able to help, but somehow, deep down, she had hoped, wished. She now understood why some people are afraid to hope. She felt that she had just crashed down to earth when she saw Apollo and Trucy shook.

Her body slowly became numb, and finally, she wasn't able to move at all. Raphael was still chanting, and she wondered if this was really her end, now. She had escaped death many times before, but now she couldn't see how she would be able to escape. She closed her eyes and sighed, giving up to the fate she would have to face.

_No…_

Her eyes snapped open.

_Don't give up! Fight! I don't want to take your place!_

What's going on, she thought.

_Please, Ellie, keep fighting! If you stop, Raphael would win. I'll be in you without any chance to get out anymore!_

Rosanna? Ellie thought.

Ellie glanced to Raphael. At his feet, near Kailani's cage, appeared an hourglass. Ellie was sure it wasn't there before. The strange thing was that even though the shape resembled an hourglass there was no sand inside. In fact, the hourglass was completely empty.

As the voice in her head became louder, the hourglass slowly filled itself. Half of the sand was in the below part, while the other half was – as if everything wasn't weird enough – floating in the middle of the upper part. Then, suddenly, the floating sand dropped down.

As the sand slowly poured into the below part of the hourglass, Ellie felt wracking pain flowing through her body. She opened her mouth in silent scream as the voice in her head yelled in pain.

_Stop it! I don't want this! Let me out!_

The wind around Ellie's pentagram whirled faster and stronger. It kept on going faster to the point that the whirling was visible. Apollo and Trucy exchanged worried glances and they noticed that the chalk lines from all the pentagrams had slowly fading because of the wind. They knew that somehow, the pentagrams had acted as safety line, and they had no idea what it would become without the pentagrams.

"Polly, do you think Ellie will be fine?" Trucy whispered.

"Honestly, I don't know," Apollo answered. "I just hope she is."

* * *

_A/N: no reviews last time! I'm huuuurrrttt..._

_But anyway here's the next chapter. A bit shorter than usual but I think it's good enough... and I'm sorry it took me so long to update! My manga-addicted-syndrome still not cured yet (doubt it will be) and I got busy with some school stuff. I'll try to update faster next time._

_So, was it good? Please tell me. Reviews?_


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Ellie felt _awful_.

Her whole body was in pain, she couldn't move, and there was a voice in her head that kept yelling and screaming – Rosanna's voice – that really driving her crazy. She had a hunch that this time, it would be no running away and being saved again. But at least she wished for a pleasant, comfortable end. This one? Not so much.

_Ellie, keep fighting!_ Rosanna's voice in her head yelled.

_What do you think am I doing?_ Ellie thought back.

The pentagrams kept fading because of the strong wind, but Ellie didn't realize it. She kept her concentration on fighting Rosanna, willing her to leave her head alone.

And then one of the circles in her pentagram was gone.

In a split second, the wind stopped. Everything was eerily quiet – the 'quiet before the storm' kind of silence.

Then suddenly a scream filled the air.

Ellie wasn't sure who was screaming first – Rosanna or herself – but she knew they then screamed together. Two consciousnesses in one body, two different voices mixing together, and they screamed as loud as they could. The world was gone for them – the only thing remained was the pain.

The wind had once again raged, knocking the hourglass down. Raphael stopped chanting the spell, yelling a loud 'no' at the sight of the knocked hourglass. The pentagrams no longer acted as prison, and Ladon, Renata, Trucy, Apollo and Ava ran to Ellie.

"Stop!" Raphael yelled. Ladon didn't listen, he pulled Ellie up to her feet. Immediately her screams died and she fell unconscious.

"Put her in the pentagram again!" Raphael roared. Apollo, deciding that he had enough of him, stomped to him and punched him across the face with all his might. Raphael sprawled across the floor, eyes wide, staring at him in disbelief.

"Listen, I've had enough of you," Apollo hissed. "You lied to me, you killed someone in front of me, you kidnapped Ellie, and you almost used her as a vessel for your dead sister." Apollo took Kailani's cage and shot a cold glare to Raphael. "Cross me again, go after my family again, and I swear to God you'll be sorry you have ever been born."

As they all stare at him in awe, Apollo walked to the door. When he realized no one was following him, he turned and frowned. "What? You guys don't want to get out of here?"

Ladon, Trucy and Ava immediately walked after him, Ladon cradling the unconscious Ellie in his arms.

"He punched Raphael?" Ladon muttered, his voice hinting that he couldn't believe what had just happened.

"He doesn't seem like someone who would use violence," Ava commented, still in awe. "What possessed him?"

"He must be really upset," Trucy said, her own eyes shined in surprise. "Daddy once told me that Polly punched him after his first case, in which Daddy is the defendant but declared innocent, because Daddy gave him a forged evidence – but I was the one delivered it. But I think that punch wasn't as strong as this one, because Daddy never mentioned falling or something like that."

"Your father did what?"

"Yeah, Daddy did give Polly a forged evidence. It saved him from his charges, and Kristoph was really guilty anyway, so I'm okay with it," Trucy confirmed nonchalantly.

"I can't believe this girl," Ava mumbled.

"She's quite something," Ladon agreed.

* * *

After a while of walking, the group found an abandoned building. They went in and laid Ellie down at the floor. Apollo and Trucy went out to call Phoenix, asking to be picked up, while Ava went out to buy some food and drinks. And thus, Ladon was left to guard the sleeping beauty.

"Why do I have to do this?" Ladon protested at first, but he obeyed once the three gave him a glare. And so he was sitting down and looking at Ellie's sleeping face while the other three did their own businesses.

Ladon then frowned when he realized something weird. Ellie's purple streaks of hair had somehow changed blonde. He wondered when she re-highlighted her hair into blonde.

As if on cue, Ellie started to stir. She groaned and opened her eyes, and suddenly jumped full-alert, sitting up and looking around. "Where is this?" she wondered out loud.

Ladon said nothing, he simply stared at the girl. Her normally brown eyes had somehow changed calming blue. But what confused Ladon the most was the way she acted. Ellie wasn't exactly a morning person, he saw that for himself. Suddenly sitting up in full-alert after waking up wasn't like her. She needed some time to be fully awake. Her body language wasn't like her usual nonchalant, care-for-nothing self, but more considerate, elegant, calm. And creepily, he somehow felt familiar with the way she behaved.

She turned to Ladon. "Ladon?"

And Ladon froze. The way she called him, the blue eyes, the blonde streaks instead of purple…

"Rosanna?"

* * *

"What?"

"Mr. Wright, we're all fine!" Apollo shouted to the phone. "But we're pretty much so far away from your place and there's no bus or taxi here and we left our bike at the courthouse."

"Why don't you ask Renata to drop you off, then?" Phoenix asked.

"She's with Raphael," Apollo answered. "I know I need to turn him in, too, so maybe it's best if you send some police here too…"

"One, thing, Apollo. Is Trucy save?"

"Yeah, she's here – " Apollo was cut off by Trucy who immediately took the phone from him.

"Daddy!" she exclaimed happily.

"Trucy, are you all right?" Phoenix's worried voice filled the air.

"Of course, Daddy! I'm okay!" Trucy answered cheerfully.

There was a pause in the line. "You know that I'll always listen if you have a problem, right, Trucy?" Phoenix finally broke the pause.

"Of course," Trucy said.

"You're worried about Ellie?"

"Yeah…"

"Don't worry, I'm sure that she'll be fine."

"…promise?"

"Yeah."

"Okay," Trucy said. "I'm hanging up."

"Right. Be careful, okay?"

"Okay!"

She hung up.

"Going back to Ellie's now?" Apollo asked. Trucy nodded and gave Apollo his phone back.

"Uh-huh. Where's Ava?"

"Should be back with Ladon and Ellie now," Apollo shrugged. "What do you think we should do with Mr. Prince's case later?"

"Why are you asking me?" Trucy asked back. "Shouldn't you know better? You're the one with the 'best attorney in town' title, Polly."

"You know that this particular case is special, right?" Apollo raised an eyebrow. "After all, the defendant confessed and killed someone then ran away from the courthouse. Taking hostages unnoticed, with the help of his sister. Then one of the hostages was put into a spell which will force a dead spirit to inhabit the hostage's body, then we could somehow get away but we don't know if the hostage was fine or not."

"You left out the part you punched the defendant and sent him sprawling on the floor, plus threatened him that you'll make him sorry for ever being born if he goes for the said hostage again," Trucy added.

Apollo gulped. "I didn't even think when I did that."

"I guess you didn't think when you punch Daddy either, huh?" Trucy asked.

"Yeah, I guess I didn't… wait, how do you know that?"

"Of course I know. The bruise didn't go away for days."

Apollo's face was even paler than when Renata first showed him her 'obsession' for him. Trucy giggled when she saw Apollo's expression. "Don't worry, Polly! Daddy's fine with it now. If he isn't, I think you're already dead by now."

"Who's gonna be dead by now?"

"Eek!" Apollo turned. "Ava! Don't do that!"

"What, did I scare you?" Ava giggled. "I couldn't find any food. No one sells it. This place is just too far from town."

"Right, so now we should head back to Ellie and Ladon."

The three walked back to the building where Ladon was waiting for them. When they stepped into the building, they froze in surprise to see Ladon hugging Ellie close.

"What are you doing?" Apollo asked.

Ladon pulled away from Ellie, who did nothing but staring at the ground.

"Why did you hug her?" Trucy asked.

"Ellie, say something," Ava turned to Ellie.

Ellie looked up to them, and they frowned. She wasn't like Ellie at all. The way she stare at them, the way she calculated every word she would use to talk to them. The purple streaks of her hair was blonde instead of purple (and they didn't really like it, purple suited Ellie better) and that her eyes were blue instead of brown (blue was good, too, but brown suited her hair better).

"I'm not Ellie," she finally said. "I'm Rosanna."

* * *

_A/N: I updated faster! Whee!_

_This is seriously a miracle, considering that my manga-addicted-syndrome is still not cured yet (I think it will NEVER be cured, *sigh*) and now I got a new syndrome: K-pop-loving-syndrome, and I usually spend my time to listen to K-pop instead of writing. So, yep, this is beyond miracle._

_So what do you think about this chapter? I gave it a twist, that Ellie's gone and replaced by Rosanna... will she survive? I haven't thought about that yet._

_Please tell me about what you think. Review?_


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"Rosanna?"

Ladon watched the girl in a daze. The idea of Ellie was actually Rosanna was completely crazy, yet it made sense in the oddest way possible.

"Ladon, what's going on?" Rosanna, in Ellie's body, asked Ladon, her tone distressed. "Am I really…"

"You're in Ellie's body," Ladon explained quickly. "It seems that the ritual had succeeded. Now you're alive again."

"In Ellie's body?" Rosanna trembled. "Oh no. No! I don't want this. We have to reverse the ritual! I don't care how, but we must!"

"But you're alive now," Ladon said quietly. "I prefer you this way."

"By stealing other's life?" Rosanna turned to Ladon, her eyes began to water.

"The most important thing is that you're alive now," Ladon said, bringing his face closer to Rosanna's – Ellie's.

"Ladon, no," Rosanna drew her face further from Ladon's. "This is wrong. I don't want a life that steals other's. This body belongs to Ellie, and I'll have to return it to her."

Ladon frowned. "You're too kind for your own good," he whispered as he hugged her. "Why can't you just accept that you're alive again?"

Rosanna didn't say anything, nor did she return the hug.

"What are you doing?"

Ladon pulled away from Rosanna once he heard Apollo's voice, while Rosanna's gaze dropped to the ground.

"Why did you hug her?" Trucy asked.

"Ellie, say something," Ava said.

Slowly, Rosanna looked up. She didn't know what to say, but she decided that telling them who she really was would be the best choice. She then said, "I'm not Ellie. I'm Rosanna."

An awkward silence filled the air, while the three stare intensely at Rosanna in disbelief. Rosanna fought the urge to run – their gaze was so intense they were actually scaring her.

"Come on, look at the date, this isn't April Fools," Ava blurted, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"Ava, I think she's being serious," Apollo mumbled.

"But…" Ava glanced to Rosanna. "Really?"

Rosanna nodded. "We need to reverse the ritual somehow…"

"Why?" Trucy asked. "Aren't you happy you can live again?"

"Not if I have to take away Ellie's life," Rosanna said. "Why are you guys keep saying that? _Stop it_. I only want to live again if no one's life will be taken in my place."

"But how are we going to reverse it?" Apollo wondered. "Mr. Prince is the only one who knew about the ritual in the first place, and I don't think he'll be willing to reverse it."

"True," Trucy agreed. "But he's our best chance. Who else will be able to reverse it?"

"Where is he anyway?" Ava asked. "Still in that warehouse?"

Trucy suddenly looked panicked. "Wait, Polly! Didn't you ask Daddy to send police here, too? But if Mr. Prince isn't with us, then…?"

"Oh God, I didn't think about that," Apollo's face paled. "We have to go now."

They jumped and ran back to the place where the ritual had just happened, Ava tailing behind them. Rosanna stood and went after them, but she swayed and almost collapsed back.

"Watch out," said Ladon, catching her before she hit the floor.

"Thanks," she replied, then she walked out to Apollo, Trucy and Ava. Ladon stared after her then followed her.

* * *

When Rosanna finally caught up to Apollo, he was standing by the door with his head leaned to the wall.

"What is it?" Rosanna asked.

"They're already gone," Apollo answered. "I'm so stupid. I didn't even think about it when I decided to leave them!"

"Yeah, that was pretty stupid of you," Ladon commented flatly, and Apollo's antennae drooped. "But you were really mad at that time, and we were all mad too, so you weren't the only one who didn't think," he quickly added.

"You should know that you shouldn't lie to me by now, Ladon," Apollo said, looking upset of himself.

"I thought you were too depressed to detect my lie," Ladon shrugged.

A moment later the police, along with Klavier, Ema, Phoenix, Maya, Pearl and Thalassa arrived. Apollo quickly recovered from his depressed stance and tugged Phoenix and Klavier's arms and whispered, "We got a problem."

"What is it?" Phoenix asked.

"Herr Forehead, you aren't suggesting that Mr. Prince got away?" Klavier asked.

Apollo grimaced. "Well… that too, but it's actually about Ellie."

"Wait, you let that criminal go?" Ema cut him off. "He killed a bailiff in front of many witnesses and you let him go?"

"Ema, not now…" Apollo growled, sinking into his depressed stance once again.

"What about Ellie?" Phoenix asked.

"Well… I think it's better if you see for yourself," Apollo answered.

The three, followed by Ema who was sulking, approached Rosanna, who was standing by Ladon and Trucy. Once she realized they were going to talk to her, Rosanna took a deep breath and faced them.

"Fraulein Murray?" Klavier called. Rosanna's eyes sparked in worry, confused of how to tell them that she isn't Ellie.

"You aren't Ellie, are you," Phoenix suddenly said. It was more of a statement than question, and Rosanna looked at him in awe. No one had managed to know that she wasn't Ellie before except for Ladon (that was an exception, it wasn't that amazing, they were lovers, after all), and they realized only after she told them or after she did something. All she had done was standing and looking at the group and Phoenix managed to figure it out by himself. She shook her head.

"Then who are you?" Phoenix asked again, his voice sounded cold.

"Rosanna," she answered quietly.

"Mr. Wright, I told you everything on the phone earlier, right?" Apollo said, "That time she hasn't regained consciousness yet, but we were really shocked once we realized she was Rosanna instead of Ellie, and…"

"Wait, wait, someone please tell me what exactly is going on here," Ema put her face in her hand. "I'm totally and utterly confused here."

"Wow, it's very rare for you to do so," Trucy commented. She tugged and pulled Ema and Klavier's arms. "Come on, I'll tell you what happened…"

"So that ritual succeeded?" Pearl asked. As a reply, Rosanna nodded. "But… what about Mystic Ellie, then?"

"Don't tell me she's gone," Maya said. "Tell me she's still in there."

"I don't know," Rosanna clutched her shirt. "When I was forced in, before I completely inhabit this body, I still hear her voice in this head… but now, once I'm completely fused here, I can't hear anything at all."

"But then… where is she?" Pearl whispered.

* * *

Rosanna sat on the couch in the Agency with gloomy aura surrounding her. She had somehow able to dodge questions about the incident earlier using the classic excuse of shock. Klavier and Ema helped her, of course, that was why she could run away easily. She couldn't even begin to think how hard it would be to tell them that she was only a soul forced to get into this body. Most people would only send her to a hospital of insanity.

"Are you sure Ellie isn't in there anymore?" Thalassa asked again for the twentieth time.

Rosanna shook her head and got onto her feet. "I'm sorry, but I need to use the restroom… where is it?"

The others pointed to the bathroom and Rosanna walked in. She didn't need to use the bathroom, to tell the truth. She only wanted some time alone. Once she was inside and alone, she locked the door and leaned on it, sighing heavily. Tears began to well in her eyes, and she shed quiet tears alone.

"Why does this happen?" she wondered. She sobbed and wiped her tears away and faced the mirror. She froze immediately when she saw her reflection. "What the…"

"Uh, hi?"

Hearing the figure in the mirror just greeted her, Rosanna screamed.

* * *

_A/N: I'm back! Sorry about the long update. My sister had finally came home, and she brought the DS back with her! Woo hoo, I love you, Sis! And so I spent the last few days replaying the Ace Attorney series, though I'm still not finished yet. I think I'll only play the Fey-related cases in Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney to shorten the time, since the new semester in school will start next Monday. Funny, before I wished for school to come quickly since I'm bored at home, now I wished for more holiday to finish the game. _

_Uh-oh, more trouble here. Where did Raphael and Renata went off to? They'll appear again, of course, but I still have no idea where they are for the time being. Haven't thought about that... and Ellie! Will she be fine? I guess so, but I still have no idea to _make_ her be fine, to make her get her body back. Can you tell me about your idea? Maybe I can use that!_

_Whew, this is the longest A/N I've written... I think. Please tell me what you think, review!_


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"EEK!"

"Wait, wait, wait, calm down, it's not like I'm a ghost or something!"

"Rosanna, what is it?"

"Open the door!"

Rosanna slowly walked away from the mirror and opened the door.

"Why are you so mean to me? I've told you I'm not a ghost. Well, if I were you I'd probably freak out, too, but…"

"Eep!"

"What the hell?"

"The reflection is… is…"

"Rosanna! But that's… _you_!"

"Oh, here we go again…"

* * *

They all stared at Rosanna's reflection in the mirror. Instead of Ellie's black hair, the reflection had blonde hair. Like Ellie's hair, the blond hair was highlighted, but into black. The eyes, instead of blue like Ellie's eyes right then, was brown.

"Can you stop staring, please?" the reflection asked. The voice wasn't Rosanna's, it was Ellie's, though the appearance was Rosanna's.

"So you're saying that you're Ellie?" Phoenix asked.

"Yes, Uncle Nick, how many times do I have to repeat that?" Ellie, in Rosanna's form inside the mirror, rolled her eyes in surprisingly very Ellie-like way.

"But it's hard to believe that you're Ellie, since you're in Rosanna's form and in the mirror like that…" Thalassa said in small voice.

"Auntie Tess!" Ellie straightened up and glared at Thalassa. If the mirror was tall enough, Phoenix was sure he would see Ellie stomping hard on the floor.

"Yeah, she's Ellie, all right," Apollo muttered.

"But how did you end up this way?" Pearl asked. "To even switch appearance and all…"

"I don't know," Ellie answered, her expression darkened. "But… after I lose my consciousness, I just felt… trapped. Then when Rosanna went in front of the mirror, I just got free. But I changed like this. I really don't know why."

"So now we need to find a way to switch them back?" Trucy asked. "Wait, no, that won't solve the problem, Rosanna will also be trapped in the mirror, then…"

"First we need to find Raphael," Maya concluded. "Then ask him to reverse the ritual. We have no other way than that. While we do that, Ellie has to bear being trapped in the mirror."

"You're really saying these kind of things?" Phoenix raised an eyebrow. "Last time I remember you think only about food."

"Hey, I _am_ the master of Kurain Channeling Technique!" Maya retorted, a bit smugly.

"So we're going now?" Rosanna asked. "To find Renata and Raphael?"

"Wait, are you saying you want to leave that spot?" Ellie asked warily.

"Yes, why?" Rosanna asked back.

"No, nothing," Ellie answered. "Just go. I want my body back."

"I'll be willing to give it back as soon as I can," Rosanna replied.

* * *

Ellie hated it.

She was fine with Rosanna using her body – she was sure Rosanna was going to give it back to Ellie. Rosanna herself said she didn't want it, and Ellie didn't detect any lie in her statement.

The one she hated was her situation right now.

The place she was trapped in was dark, cramped, stuffy, and to put it simply, totally uncomfortable. She couldn't move, and breathing was hard. She had never had claustrophobia before, but then she knew she wouldn't be able to stand narrow places anymore.

"Oh, look at you. You look so pitiful, to be trapped in your own mind like this."

Ellie looked around. All she could see was darkness. "Who…?"

Then, a figure appeared in front of her.

"Raphael?" Ellie whispered. "How come you're here?"

"I have my own methods," he answered. "But look at you. So pitiful, I almost cried watching you."

"Just cry then, why hold back the tears?" Ellie replied bluntly. "What are you doing here? What do you want?"

"I sometimes feel that you are far too straightforward," Raphael commented. "I'm here to discuss a few things to you."

"Good, because I also need to talk to you," Ellie said. "Give me back my body."

"Ah, exactly why I'm here. I want to make a deal with you."

"If that will give me back my body, I'm willing to listen."

"Okay," Raphael began. "Let Rosanna use that body."

Ellie blinked. "I changed my mind. I'm not listening."

"Hey, hold on," Raphael chuckled amusedly. "I'm not finished yet."

Ellie eyed him warily, but nevertheless curious to listen anyway. "I only want my body back. I'm not listening if you can't give me back my body."

"Fortunately, I can," Raphael smiled. Ellie's eyes lit up at the statement, but she knew she shouldn't be too happy. There was something more of it.

"Okay, start talking," Ellie said finally.

"Let Rosanna use that body for a period of time," Raphael said. "I still can't let go of her, I want to be with her again."

"What good will that be for me?" Ellie raised an eyebrow. "Even though I'll have my body back later, it would only benefit you."

"Do you have negotiating class in your school?" Raphael frowned. "You gave me a reply far too fast, I haven't even able to think of a retort." He closed his eyes. "Ah yes, I remember. What about that late little blackbird of yours?"

For a moment Ellie forgot how to breathe. "How do you know about Skye?"

"Like I said, I have my methods," Raphael grinned. "How about I revive that bird? You can be together again with it."

Ellie couldn't help but snort amusedly. "Revive, you say? I'm the one who has the ability to revive the dead, though in process I'll be the one who's dead. How come you can make Skye alive again and yet I'll still be together with Skye?"

"I know a method, a spell, which will alter the soul of the dead which you want to resurrect into a body other than yours. You will lose the power to revive the dead forever, though, but I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem to you." Raphael chuckled. "After all, it is a gift that is more like a curse."

"But…" Ellie put her face in her hand. "No, no. Skye died protecting me. I don't think he'd be happy if I just resurrect him like this."

"But aren't you happy if you're with him again?" Raphael asked. "Wasn't it you who said that you prefer the blackbird over that bluebird?"

Ellie once again forgot how to breathe. She never meant it that way. She was only too mad at Kailani that time to think straight. She wanted to take those words back. She wanted to say that she was sorry to Kailani. She wanted to make everything right again, but it was too late for that. Everything had already happened.

"Come on, don't tell me you don't want to have that blackbird back," Raphael snickered.

"If I agree to these terms, in whose body will you put Skye's soul in?" Ellie asked quietly.

"Why, the bluebird of course!" Raphael answered. "Where else can I put it in?"

Ellie bit her lip. However annoyed she felt whenever Kailani chirped, however noisy and loud she was, however much she hated Kailani for not being Skye, she had somehow accepted that Kailani was now a part of her life. She wanted Skye back, but she also didn't want to throw away Kailani. Both had been a part of her life she wasn't willing to let go of. But if she didn't agree to those terms of agreement Raphael offered, would she still be able to go back to her body?

"I see you're still hesitating," Raphael finally said. "I'm sure your family will be coming and ask me to reverse the ritual soon. I'm waiting for your answer until then."

"If I don't give you my answer then, what – " Ellie wasn't able to finish the sentence, for Raphael was already gone.

* * *

_A/N: schoolworks, i hate them! It's still the first week of school and I already have a bunch of it!_

_Sorry about the long update... I wanted to update faster, really. But school started last Monday and I ended up being unable to update. I can't even listen to my beloved K-pop in peace anymore, and certainly I can't watch Korean dramas as freely as before. Then what about my beloved Gaksital? It's still ongoing and I don't want to miss it!_

_Anyway, that's your 13th chapter. I can't promise to update faster because of school, but I'll try to update as soon as I can. Please tell me about what you think._

_Reviews?_


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"Renata?"

The green eyed girl turned and came face-to-face with Apollo, standing up from her previously-squatting position, holding her abnormally large bag (since she usually uses abnormally tiny bag that could only contain a toothpick) carefully and smiled a bit forcefully. "Mr. Justice," she said, "I'm so sorry."

"No, it's fine," Apollo said. "What are you doing here in front of the office?"

"I want to take you to Raphael," she said. "I told him I wanted to go back home for a quick bath, then I'd go back to him again."

"Why would you?" Pearl asked. "Isn't he your brother? Don't you want Rosanna back too?"

"We shouldn't even try to revive her from the first place," Renata said. "No matter what happened, how sad you are, how angry you are, those who are already dead should remain dead."

"Well said," Rosanna said from behind Apollo. "To take away one's life is wrong, no matter how right it seems to you. Where's Raphael? He needs to get punished."

Renata grimaced. "Sis, please. You're always scaring me whenever you're angry."

"Did I say something wrong?" Rosanna smiled to Renata, her blue eyes glinting suspiciously.

"No, of course not," Renata backed away instantly.

"So why did you come here again?" Trucy asked.

Renata slowly put out an object from her bag – an hourglass, which she held very carefully to keep its horizontal position.

"Isn't that…" Ava's eyes widened.

Renata nodded. "The hourglass from that ritual, yes."

"Why do you bring this with you?" Apollo asked. Renata looked at him and froze when she thought she saw a briefest flash of red in his eyes.

"I took it from Raphael," Renata said finally. "I can't go on with this anymore. He needs to stop doing things like this. He'd even kill those who are close to him in order to resurrect Rosanna."

"He didn't kill someone important, did he?" Rosanna snapped suddenly.

"No, but I'm sure that if the situation requires it, he will," Renata said. "I can see it in his eyes."

"But what use will this hourglass give us?" Apollo pushed. "I don't get why you must bring it here, while you can just come and said that you're sorry."

"This hourglass is the representation of Rosanna and Ellie's fusion," Renata explained. "Now, both parts of the hourglass are filled equally. One of them is the representation of Ellie's existence, the other is Rosanna's. I know a method to reverse the ritual, but it isn't safe, so I don't dare perform it."

"What method?" Phoenix asked, seemingly appeared out of nowhere.

"By using this hourglass, I may be able to reverse the ritual," Renata answered. "However, it would be a fifty-fifty bet. Ellie may be the one to come back, or Rosanna would be fully alive in that body again. But once it's done, you wouldn't be able to do anything with it again. The other existence who wasn't chosen to live would disappear forever, vanishing without trace."

"So… it's either Ellie or Rosanna," Trucy said quietly. "But I don't really get the disappearing part."

"It means…" Renata took a shaky breath. "I don't really understand it, myself. It could be that the spirit disappears and no one will be able to revive it again or even channel it, but it could also mean that the existence vanish completely… in terms of, the very existence. It could be that the person would not exist anymore, just as if she was never even been born. All memories of her will be erased, nothing will be left."

"So the stakes is higher," Apollo pressed a finger to his forehead.

"If it's just that I wouldn't be able to see her anymore, it's fine," Renata's voice shook. "But if it's the memory, then… I can't risk it. No. I won't take that chance. I want to at least be able to cherish all those memories."

Apollo patted her shoulder. "It's fine, I'm sure everything will be all right."

"Do you think so?" Renata looked up to him, the dangerous gleam from when she first saw him once again illuminated her eyes.

Almost instinctively, Apollo pulled his hand back. Suppressing a shiver, he coughed. "In any case, I think it's better if we go to Raphael now?"

"Where is he?" Rosanna asked.

"In the abandoned warehouse."

"The one with the pentagrams and all?" Ava questioned.

"That one," Renata confirmed.

* * *

Ellie couldn't even think of how many times had she thought of a method to get out of this hell.

But of course, she couldn't. She was trapped in her own head, anyway. Which made her thought, was her mind really this cramped? Was it an indication that she was actually an idiot?

Ellie couldn't help but curse at herself. Of course not. Who was she calling an idiot? Herself? She was losing her mind, trapped in here. She really hoped she could say goodbye to the dark place quickly.

But doesn't that mean she would literally lose her mind? Ellie shook. This is making her crazy.

Sometimes, she thought she'd seen some of her memories flashing in front of her eyes. The times she was with Skye. The time she was with Kailani. The time she saw Skye died. The time she drove Kailani away. And the pained look in Kailani's eyes when she forced her to leave.

Her thoughts wondered to when Raphael offered her to revive Skye. Should she accept it? Should she not? She didn't want Kailani to be gone, but seeing Skye again…

She wished for both options to come true. To keep Kailani around, but at the same time seeing Skye again. She knew it was a foolish wish. But still she wished for it.

But she didn't know the risks. She didn't even know if Raphael would truly put her spirit back in her body or not. She sighed. A personal dilemma shouldn't be this frustrating, should it? But then again, it _is_ a dilemma.

She sighed when she remembered about Raphael. After offering to revive Skye that time, he came again once. He asked about his offer, but Ellie wasn't able to give her answer yet.

"Well, it's such a shame," said Raphael after he heard Ellie's uncertainty, "you might never see the light ever again."

For once, Ellie was frightened enough to beg Raphael to give her more time.

She looked around. As usual, there was nothing in this confined place but darkness and nothingness. Which, by the way, make her wonder once more if her head really was completely empty. She hoped her family could be faster. She really wished to get out of this place…

But she was scared that when she thought she had been out, rescued, whatever, it was only her imagination – only her own mind playing tricks on her. She had been trapped in this darkness God knows how long, she probably had even lost her sanity. She didn't know anymore. That deal Raphael offered to her? She didn't care anymore about that shit, she only wanted to get out.

But was getting out the right answer? Suddenly her memory flashed around her. The time when Trucy got hurt because of the psycho-spirit of Bobby Shoe. The time when Pearl was abducted by Ladon. The time when Apollo, Trucy and Pearl were threatened to be killed if she didn't want to let Ladon resurrect Rosanna. And, ultimately, Skye's death.

She choked. Maybe being trapped forever was the right answer. That way, she wouldn't hurt anyone anymore. That way, no one would have to suffer because of her ability. That way, everyone would surely be safe.

Then, suddenly, a light shined to her.

* * *

"Raphael, I'm back."

"Thank God, what took you so long?" Raphael's voice called from inside the warehouse as Renata opened the door and walked in with Apollo, Trucy, Phoenix, Thalassa, Ava, Maya, Pearl and Rosanna. He blinked and smiled, his hand tapping against the huge mirror standing next to him. "This is a… pleasant reunion, Mr. Justice."

"It sure is," Apollo answered, his face completely emotionless, but his eyes blazing in fiery determination. "Ellie. Give her back her body. Only you know the ritual."

"And here I thought little Elisa Murray is the straightforward one," Raphael sighed.

"Well we don't really have the time to chit-chat now, do we?" Trucy asked. "Since you're on the run anyway."

"And Ellie's soul might lose its connection to the body anytime soon," Ava added. Instantly the Gramaryes, Feys, Wrights and the lone Justice whipped their heads and stared at her, shouting "WHAT?" in unison.

"Oh, didn't I tell you that a soul might lose its connection to the body if let out for so long?" Ava rubbed her neck. "It's one of the reasons that many Hollow channelers can't get back to their body even when the inhabiting soul has already gone."

"You never told us anything about it," Maya said.

"Shouldn't you know? You're a Fey," Phoenix frowned.

"Well I was the one who had channeled a spirit for hours and that's the longest in Fey history someone had ever channeled a spirit," Maya explained. "I was fine even after that."

"Not really, you passed out," Phoenix muttered.

Maya glared. "Other than _that_."

"Well that means you weren't fine after all!"

"Not true!"

"Guys, stop the childish bickering now," Rosanna requested icily.

Maya and Phoenix stopped immediately, muttering a 'sorry' under their breaths.

"Rosanna," Raphael smiled at his sister, "it's nice seeing you again."

"It really is, isn't it?" Rosanna smiled back, but the smile didn't quite reach her eyes. "Especially that you forced me into this body after putting me into that damned pentagram, not to mention quite forcefully, too, using that control-over-spirits ability you obtained from killing many innocent men, and boy did it hurt me."

Renata cringed at the coldness of her words – though she smiled saying all that, Renata knew Rosanna too well to know that she was angry with Raphael. No, scratch that – she was furious.

Raphael, however, chose to play along with Rosanna. "Oh, did it hurt, darling sister?" he asked with fake sweetness. "I am so, so sorry. I don't know you'd be hurt. I'm not a spirit, after all. And besides, those men aren't as innocent as they claim to be. Everyone makes mistakes. And their mistakes, well, pretty much are bad, really bad. I only kill those who target Ellie, you know."

"This son of a bitch…" Apollo growled. "Does that make your actions right? Isn't killing the Ellie-targeting men would make you even worse, since you will be the only one to get her?!"

"Oh, I never said it's right," Raphael's lips curled in sly smirk. "I only do it to make me closer to my target, after all."

Apollo growled, resisting the urge to spat out many 'colorful' vocabularies he had or punch Raphael again for some good measure. He gritted his teeth and prepared for a counter.

"Apollo, stop," Rosanna turned to face Apollo, who stopped gritting his teeth and stared at her blankly. "There's no use in trying to reason with him anymore. He's already gone insane."

"I have?" Raphael asked in mock surprise, then he sighed in fake sadness. "I guess I have. After all, no sane man would go this far to get back a sister from the grave."

He tapped the mirror, and an image of a frazzled, disoriented-looking, scared and confused girl made everyone except himself gasped, even cried out in disbelief.

"Ellie!"

* * *

_A/N: how long has it been since the last time i updated? Has it been too long?_

_I got kind of lost. This one chapter was really hard to write. Maybe I just lost my focus for a while or maybe I just got a bit distracted by the damned schoolwork and tests. I mean, the tests were kind of too much! Especially Biology. From all the girls in my class (since my school is an all-girl school) only three passed the test, and the others had to retest. And there's 34 students in my class! I'd say it's the teacher's fault._

_So I've decided to finish the story first to the end, then I'd update it in, I don't know, maybe one chapter every day? To make up for the time I used to finish it. Which, I believe, will be a long, long time. It's been raining homework for weeks._

kittycaty0328: it's a nice one, I'll try to mash it with my own idea. Maybe it'll get even more interesting... (snicker)

_And by the way, I've been thinking about an idea of a story for a while. What the hell is with Trucy's ever-present smile? I mean, she's a human, too, but it seems that the only emotion she gave us is happiness. So I plan to make a story about how she really feels and how that mask of smile will break. It'll share the same dimension with this story, so Ellie would probably in that story, too. And, isn't Apollo, in the Greek myth, the god of the sun, who has a twin sister who is the goddess of the moon named Artemis? Well I plan to make that story about Trucy revealed that Apollo actually has a twin sister whose job defies law. Dunno in what way. Still figuring it out._

_Well I think that's all. I'll try to finish the story soon, I'll really try. So in the mean time, please be patient. And please review! Thanks!_


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Ellie blinked and narrowed her eyes. Trapped in the dark for so long, the light had now hurt her. She looked around and saw the faces of her family, along with Raphael, Renata, Ava, and her own face – Rosanna in her body – staring at her.

"Ellie!" Trucy, Rosanna, Maya and Pearl cried out in shock.

"Have I finally gone insane?" she muttered to herself.

"Ellie!" Trucy called again.

"I guess I have," Ellie stated, her eyes fell to the ground, her knees gave away, her hands pulled her own hair in panic and frustration.

"No, Ellie, hey!" Trucy called frantically. "This is real. We're here! Please!"

Ellie looked up to her, her tired eyes looked red and she looked like she was about to cry. "I'm not imagining things?" she whispered to no one in particular.

"No, we're really here," Trucy assured her.

Ellie's hands slowly went down, her breathing became more even, her eyes no longer had that crazed look but the tiredness remained. She looked up and sighed. "I'm still trapped, aren't I?"

"Not in your own head anymore," Raphael said. "I moved you into a mirror. At least you're not in a confined, dark place anymore."

"Thank God," Ellie let out a breath of utter relief, and her family couldn't help but stare in disbelief. No trace of sarcasm at all? Ellie must be really scared, then.

"Have you thought about my offer?" Raphael asked.

Ellie's face fell. "I still can't decide. To be honest, I don't want to."

"Oh, so maybe I can just move you back to the darkness. Maybe then you'd decide."

Ellie, whose face was already pale, went even paler.

"What offer?" Maya asked.

"Well, it's simple, really," Raphael said. "I asked Ellie to let Rosanna stay in her body a while longer, and in return I'd revive her pet blackbird."

"What?!" Apollo gasped. "Ellie, don't tell me – "

"I didn't answer!" Ellie cut him. "I haven't."

"You should, though," Raphael said nonchalantly. "Remember, I've given you time to think it over."

"Why should I?" Ellie sighed. "There's no guarantee you'd fulfill your promise anyway."

"Ouch," Raphael winced. "Don't say things like that. I always fulfill my promises."

"Yeah?" Ellie said, lifting an eyebrow.

"Right, of course you wouldn't believe me."

"Ava, is there any way we can get Ellie out of there?" Phoenix asked.

"I don't know," Ava said uncertainly.

"If we smash the mirror, she might be able to get out," Renata said.

"What do we waiting for, then?" Apollo asked.

"Wait, don't!" Renata pulled him back when Apollo rashly walked to the pentagram. "Look," she pointed at Raphael's feet. Around him and the mirror that trapped Ellie was a pentagram. It wasn't as complicated as the ones Renata drew, but it looked neat and good. "That pentagram is a seal. You can't get in there. He can get out, but you won't be able to get in. If you try to, you'd be electrocuted."

Apollo stepped back.

"You really haven't thought about my offer, then?" Raphael asked again.

"You said I might not get to see the light again if I choose the wrong choice," Ellie said. "I don't know which is right."

"Oh, really?"

"What feels right for me isn't always right for you."

"Do you really want to never see the light again?"

Ellie looked at him blankly.

"Then maybe I'd seal Rosanna permanently in your body, and you'll never be able to get in there again."

Ellie smiled. "Ah yes. You did imply that you'd really do it before."

To her family's horror, she displayed no fear when she said that. Was it the way she told them that she'd accepted her fate, to be thrown away from her body, to forever wander in the darkness? They knew Ellie's life was one crazy roller coaster ride, but would it end this way? It was way too tragic, even for her.

"Do you think I care about it anymore?" Ellie's next words made her family's stomach churn. "I don't care. If I lived, I'd only be a burden for those around me. I'd probably end up making them hurt. Let's just end this like this. Even if it's a tragedy. I don't care anymore."

"You mean it?"

"Even if I don't, would you really not make me disappear in order to keep your beloved sister with you?"

Raphael looked at her, his eyes somewhat bewildered.

Ellie smiled. "Ladon wasn't the first one to hunt me. I managed to escape every time, but I know that my luck would run out anytime. So let's just end this."

"Ellie!" Pearl yelled. "Stop! Don't! You can't just die like this! I – I won't forgive you!"

Ellie chuckled. "Really," she said, sighing. "Well don't forgive me then. I have no spirit to live anymore, not if everyone around me has to suffer."

"But – "

"I still remember the time when Trucy had to endure the pain when that crazy spirit got his hand through her stomach," Ellie said almost blankly. "Also when you were kidnapped, Pearl. And when Apollo, Trucy and you were threatened to be killed because of me. Come to think of it, I think Ava had to summon Dahlia Hawthorne because of me, too. If Ladon wasn't hunting me he wouldn't have thought to use the Hollow's help to get me. And I still remember how Skye died." Her family looked at her with – she wasn't really sure, was it pity? "It was hard enough to carry all these burden I have because of this so-called… gift I have. But to see another suffer from it was a different league entirely." A single tear ran down her cheek. "I'd be better off dead, if I have to see things like that again."

"Nice speech," Raphael said. "Does that mean I can put Rosanna's soul in your body permanently?"

"Didn't I tell you that I no longer care?" Ellie returned. "Do whatever you want."

"Ellie!" Phoenix called desperately. "How do you think your grandmother would feel? She had lost her son in an accident, and her daughter in law long before that. How do you think she would feel if her grandchild also ended up leaving her?"

"Then what am I supposed to do?!" to Phoenix's surprise, Ellie actually break down crying and screaming. "People keep getting hurt because of me. Should I continue living sacrificing my family and my loved ones? Should I keep living letting the people around me get hurt? No, don't you dare say yes! Do you know how much pain it caused me to see my family getting hurt because of me? Don't stand in my way! Just let me die! That way, no one would be hurt, not anymore!"

"Don't tell me…" Phoenix whispered, "you've already given up?"

Ellie shifted her gaze to the ground.

"Then I'll do what I've been preparing to do for a while," Raphael said quietly. Slowly he took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"No!" Renata yelled. "I won't let you!"

"Why do you care? Even she doesn't care anymore," Raphael said nonchalantly.

"Haven't you seen your sister's face?" Renata glanced to Rosanna.

Raphael finally fixed his gaze to Rosanna. She was staring blankly to Ellie, eyes unfocused, face completely void of emotions.

"Do you know how awful I felt when I realized I would be stealing your life away?" she finally said quietly. Ellie didn't look at her, but she felt terrible when she heard the emotionless tone Rosanna was speaking in. "Do you know how panicked I was when I knew that you may never reclaim this body forever? And now you're saying that you don't care, that you'd let me use your body. Do you know that it makes me feel like I'm a thief, a robber?"

Rosanna finally looked at Ellie, her gaze no longer unfocused. "Are you always this heartless?"

Ellie didn't say anything.

Raphael looked at the two and sighed. He began to chant in a language no one recognized. However, Renata seemed to recognize the spell. She gritted her teeth.

"I won't let you," she said. She shuffled her bag and gripped a bunch of white chalks. She turned to Ava and said, "Help me. I need to draw a few pentagrams."

"Okay," Ava nodded and started to work.

"What kind of pentagram do you need?" Phoenix asked. "I was majoring in art when I was in college. I may be able to help."

"Just the simple one," Renata answered. "A five pointed star inside a circle. No, make that two. Double circle just to make sure it's secured."

Just like Ava, Phoenix quickly grabbed a chalk and set to work. "How many do you need?"

"Three!" Renata answered. "I'll work on the most complicated one. Ava, you make a pentagram with more security lines. Mr. Wright, just make the simple one I told you, but make it big so all of you could fit in it!"

"Got it!" Phoenix said as he drew the pentagram.

Ellie watched them work and sobbed. Why? Why do they work so hard just to save her? She didn't want to be saved. She'd only hurt them again.

_Do you really think so?_

Ellie gasped and looked around. "Who?"

_Look at them. They don't want to let you die. So you have to fight alongside them. You have to fight for your freedom, for your life. Get up, Ellie. You can do this. Don't make me die in vain._

Ellie's eyes widened. "Skye?"

* * *

A/N: Finally, I'm back, people!

So, this is kinda awkward. The story didn't turn out to be what I wanted. You know, like the case when you've thought of the outcome of a story and it turn out entirely different from your thoughts. This is kind of like that. I don't know if it's going to be a bit weird. I think the emotional turmoil isn't as good as I want, but no matter how many times I worked it over it wouldn't improve. So I'll just let it like that.

Like I've told you before, I plan to update this story every day, since it's now finished. Or maybe once every a few days. Depends on my mood. Don't worry, you only have three chapters and an epilogue to go. I know, it's just those chapters and I need months to finish it. Sorry, really. School comes first, even though sometimes I just wish schools don't exist. Woops. Was that a bad thing?

Well then, I'll see you soon on the next chapter. Please leave me a review... Please?


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

"Skye? Is that really you?"

Ellie looked forward blankly, concentrating fully to the voice of Skye inside her head.

_Who else has this kind of mental connection to you? _the voice asked back.

"Um. Kailani?"

_She hasn't been with you for that long. Yes, a mental connection had formed, but not strong enough to talk telepathically._

"You've never talked to me this way before."

_Why should I if you can understand my chirpings?_

"Are you always this practical?" Ellie grumbled, and Skye's voice chuckled.

_You've been with me all this time and you don't realize it. Heh. Now look at them, Ellie. They don't want to let go of you. They aren't ready yet. And they won't let you go. Now, are you sure you're ready? Are really sure you'd be okay letting them go?_

"Why does it matter? I'll only hurt them again."

_Ellie, we're okay if we're hurt. We aren't made of glass that would break so easily. And if it's for the person we find important to us, we'll find we want to protect them, and even die for them. I know that if we switch places, you'd protect me from that bullet, just like I did for you._

"I know. But it doesn't make it any less painful."

_But, don't you think the happiness of being able to protect the one you love makes up for it?_

Ellie froze. She never thought of it that way before. "Really?" she whispered.

She could literally feel Skye's smile. _Don't give up too easily, fella. Now get up. You must fight for your own freedom._

"I know. I know. I'll fight. I promise."

_Good. Don't let me down, you hear me?_

"Okay."

_Good girl. Be good to the others. Tell them I said hi, okay? And… goodbye._

"Skye, please, don't leave me again!" Ellie begged. "I still need you."

_No you don't. I can't. I've gone too far beyond the grave to do it. Besides, now, you have Kailani._

"But…"

_Ellie,_ Skye's voice was warm and soft, _sometimes, in your life, you'll have a wish that is simply impossible to fulfill._

Ellie hung her head and sighed. She forced a smile. "I understand," she said. "So is this really goodbye, then?"

_Not quite,_ Skye said. _Even though I'm already dead, I will always watch over you. I will always be by your side. I will always live in your heart._

"Skye?" Ellie called after a moment of silence. When she received no reply, she sighed. "Goodbye," she finally said.

Ellie focused her attention to the chaos outside the mirror. Her hand instantly flew to her mouth when she saw that Raphael had used spirits to attack her family, and his own family. Phoenix, Ava and Renata had almost completed the pentagrams, but they might have to star over if they keep getting disturbance like that. And besides they couldn't see spirits, for heaven's sake! Ava might be able to, but Renata and Phoenix weren't. And the rest of the group excluding Apollo also couldn't see spirits. Her eyes quickly searched for Kailani. She saw the little bird, squirming inside Trucy's palms, completely frightened. Ellie instantly felt her blood boiled.

"Kailani!" she yelled, startling the bird. "You dumb bird! What the hell are you doing just sitting like that?! Get up! Protect them! Make shield! If you can't make the big one, just fly around making some multiple shields around them! Make the new one if one breaks!"

Kailani chirped in protest, but one glare from Ellie was enough to make her move.

"Why suddenly?" Raphael asked.

"Well I just changed my mind, is it really that troublesome?" Ellie snarled.

"Well as a matter of fact, it is!" Raphael snarled back.

"Shut up, that's my body, I have all rights to want it back!" Ellie snarled again. "Now stop attacking my family and just gimme my body back!"

"No."

"Sheesh! You're such a headstrong bastard!"

"Wh-what?!"

"Renata!" Ellie yelled. "Renata! Is your pentagrams finished?!"

"Almost!" Renata automatically answered. Then she halted. "Huh? Ellie?"

"Uh… Hi?" Ellie greeted stupidly. "I mean, the pentagram! The pentagram!"

"Oh! Right!" Renata quickly scrambled to finish her pentagram.

"Ellie?" Apollo called, his eyes full of question.

"Why are you suddenly looking so… excited?" Trucy asked.

"Well I changed my mind," Ellie answered. She didn't want to say that she was persuaded by Skye. They could think she had finally lost her mind. Or maybe she just wanted it to be the last, precious moment with Skye that only she owns. Either worked for her.

"Why didn't you just changed it from the start?!" Maya pouted.

"Sorry," Ellie apologized sheepishly.

However, the fact that Ellie had her hopes to reclaim her body alone was enough to give her family newfound spirits. Though the (other) spirits were still surrounding them, they could fend off better than before. Phoenix and Ava drew the pentagrams faster, while Renata, who had finished drawing hers, had pulled out a huge book seemingly out of nowhere and was now flipping the pages of the thick, old, dusty book with yellowing papers. Ellie wondered how she finished drawing the pentagrams that quickly, and how she didn't sneeze or cough though the dust was flying all around her because of her vigorously energized flipping movements.

"Found it!" Renata yelled triumphantly when she finally found the spell she was looking for.

"No!" Raphael barked and grumbled something, and suddenly the room was full of spirits only Ellie, Ava and Apollo could see. Apollo quickly paled, Ava gritted her teeth in anger, while Ellie could simply glare because there was nothing she could do. Her family couldn't see them, for God's sake. Even Rosanna and Renata couldn't! How could Raphael do it to his own family?

"Stop it!" Ellie yelled, while Ava urged Renata to quickly read the spell – which she did – and urged the others to come inside the pentagram Phoenix just finished. Ava, who also had just finished her own pentagram, quickly yelled to Kailani to go inside the pentagram Phoenix drew along with the others.

"No, _they_ should stop it!" Raphael yelled back to Ellie. "Do they know how much I've been missing Rosanna? How sad I was when she died? And the knowledge that she died for that… that… Ladon was making it even harder to cope with!" Ellie could easily imagine that Raphael was holding back, that he was actually wanted to curse Ladon. "He didn't deserve Rosanna! She was the sole reason I could live! She was my supportive sister, who helped me cope with my abusive father!" He paused a moment to take a deep breath. "He was a mother figure to me, a mother I lost when I was a kid. Even Renata didn't know her own mother because of her death. Rosanna was a mother for both of us. Why is it so wrong if I wanted to revive her? Why does everyone keep telling me that it's wrong?"

"Do you really think of only reviving her?" Ellie asked.

"Of course."

"Then you're an idiot. You didn't think things through, did you? Didn't you think about Rosanna's feeling? And Renata's? Or mayabe mine, since you'd be practically stealing my life away?"

For once, Raphael looked really dumbfounded and speechless. Then, suddenly, rage seemed to swallow his face and he looked away. "I'm not going to let you talk me to letting you go," he said. "I'm going to revive her and that's it." He whispered something again and the spirits suddenly got aggressive.

"No! Stop! They can't even see spirits! Not even Rosanna can! Do you want to hurt even her?"

"Shut up! I've said already, I won't let you talk me to letting you go!"

"No, please! Just don't hurt my family! And yours!"

"I don't care anymore as long as I can have my sister back," Raphael growled.

"Don't you care about Renata at all?!" Ellie yelled.

"No!" Raphael yelled back, and Ellie froze. "Mother died giving birth to her. I had never loved her. And I could never!"

Ellie instantly felt a vibe. She knew immediately that Raphael was lying. Probably because he was too prideful. However his words hurt Renata, who could hear everything he said. She sobbed. He looked dazed for a moment, looking guiltily at Renata, but soon his expression hardened and he shook his head. He looked at the spirits. They were trying to attack the group, but inside the pentagram, they were safe.

Renata stared at her brother, completely oblivious of the ghosts around her. No, she isn't oblivious, Ellie thought, seeing her completely pale face and her newly-cut hand – an injury she acquired from the ghosts – she was only ignoring them.

"Raphael," she called, "is it true that you don't love me?" her tone was full of sadness. She kept staring at Raphael with her soulful eyes.

Raphael opened his mouth, but he closed it again and looked away.

"I see," Renata said. She took the hourglass from her bag.

"You took it," Raphael pointed out once he saw the hourglass. "I shouldn't even wonder where it went."

Renata placed the hourglass in the most complicated pentagram. She looked up to her brother and forced a smile. "Thank you for all you've done to me," she said. "But now, I will walk my own way."

"Oh no, you aren't going to…" Raphael shook his head.

"Yes," Renata said confidently, "I am."

Renata stepped into the less complicated pentagram and took the heavy book and started chanting. Swirls of wind started to engulf the three pentagrams and Ellie felt a pulse of energy coming in form of waves towards her. She felt like she was pulled out of the mirror slowly.

"No!" Raphael snarled and chanted. Ellie was pulled back into the mirror, but the surge of energy from Renata was still pulling her out. At the same time, the spirits had also somehow became stronger, and they could even cause physical damage. Seeing the state her family was in, Ellie struggled to get out.

"Stop!" she yelled to Raphael. "Stop it!"

No one heard her.

"Stop! Please, stop!" Ellie kept yelling, but still no one heard her. the pain from constant pulling was too much for her to bear, not to mention the torture of having to see all those spirits attacking the ones she hold dear while being able to do nothing to stop it. The emotional turmoil was just too much for her to handle. Without her noticing it, the edges of the mirror began to crack.

Ellie kept yelling for them to stop, but she could do nothing to make them listen. The crack was expanding bit by bit, but she still didn't realize it.

Renata stopped chanting after a while and watched the hourglass in front of her, while Raphael was still chanting to keep Ellie in the mirror. The pulling got stronger, and Ellie blurted, "STOP!"

The hourglass and the mirror both shattered.

* * *

A/N: Aaand... cliffhanger.

Sorry I didn't update yesterday. I had this test that I need to study really hard, I even managed to wake up at 3 in the morning to study... Okay, enough bragging, now to the story.

There's not much to wait for, I just need to post two more chapters. Doesn't mean I don't need you opinion. Please hit the review button... I'll give you a hug for it. No? What about a big, big smile and thousands of 'thank you', then?


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Renata had just finished the chanting, and she stared at the hourglass intensely. The hourglass was the way she could make sure the ritual was reversed.

The sand was floating in the middle of both parts, and connected by a string of sand. The sand kept floating up, down, up, down, as if it couldn't make the decision to stay upwards or downwards.

The chaos around her was annoying, but she couldn't do anything about it. Besides, the important one is the hourglass right now. She could hear the shouting, begging, and generally panicking voices of the ones inside the largest pentacle. She ignored it. She could also feel the otherworldly beings' presence around her, but she knew the pentagram would protect her. And so would the largest pentagram.

Then she realized that the largest pentagram was also the simplest one and the most probable to get the lines scratched away, and so it explained the screaming and panicking around her.

She cursed inwardly, and realizing that getting out of her own pentagram meant suicide, she glared at the hourglass.

Then, suddenly, the hourglass shattered.

Renata yelped and fell, the shattered glass piercing her skin. Ignoring the pain, she stared, completely dumbfounded, at the sand on the floor. Never before she imagined the hourglass would shatter. If it shatters, would it disturb the ritual?

Of course it would.

A scream suddenly filled the air. The scream pierce through the chaos and havoc of the spirits, and everyone reflectively turned their heads to see the one screaming. Strangely, no one was really surprised when they realized it was Ellie.

"Renata, what happened?" Trucy yelled to her.

"I don't know!" Renata yelled back. "I've never heard a case where the ritual artifacts break! I can't determine the result, but I can tell you this isn't good."

"That's not helping the nerves!" Apollo yelled. He looked really frightened and worried, according to Renata, though it's to be expected since he could see the spirits and all.

"I didn't mean it to help your nerves, it's just that you all need to know the truth!" Renata retorted. "I don't want to be pessimistic, but everyone has to be realistic here. Even though the spell worked, there wasn't a hundred percent chance she'd be like before again to begin with. Now that the situation has taken to the worse, we all have to prepare for the worst."

"Stop it!" they could hear Ellie's pleas over the still-breaking chaos. "It hurts! Stop it!"

"So what now?" Ava asked. "We can't leave the pentagram, while I think the best plan we can come up with is to tell Raphael to let Ellie out of that mirror."

Renata looked around. She may not be able to see the spirits swarming the place, but she could sense them at the very least. "This may sound crazy, but we have no choice but to get out," she said.

"What? Are you planning to get torn by these spirits?!" Trucy yelled in surprise.

"No, I plan to get to Raphael," Renata answered. "Look at him."

The group turned to see Raphael. It seemed that he couldn't hear Ellie's scream of pleas, and instead kept chanting to keep her in the mirror.

"Shouldn't she… come inside the mirror again?" Maya muttered.

"No, because the hourglass is shattered, the spell which draws her out of the mirror becomes uncontrollable, thus it would only pull her out harder, while Raphael would pull her in again," Renata said. "There's nothing we can do except to stop him from chanting, or else Ellie's spirit might be gone because of two forces are splitting her in half, literally."

"Doesn't that mean we're going to plunge ourselves in this… sea of spirits?" Apollo asked, face going pale in surprising speed.

"We have no other choice," Renata mumbled, eyeing the sand scattered about the pentagram. "It's that, or you'll have to lose Ellie forever." She looked at Rosanna. "You don't want it, do you?"

"No," Rosanna answered without missing a beat.

"I'd prefer you though," Renata mumbled again, "but if that's your decision then I can't do anything anymore."

Rosanna sent her a weak, apologetic smile. Renata casted her eyes down, then walked out of the pentagram without a single warning beforehand.

And fell with marks of scratches all over her body almost instantly.

"Renata!" Rosanna screamed in horror as she flung herself out to help her sister, but Ladon held her tightly.

"Don't you dare," Ladon hissed.

"But Renata – "

Rosanna's words were cut off by Trucy's yell, "Hold on, Renata, I'm coming!" and Phoenix's "Trucy, don't get out or you'll have no pocket money for the rest of the year!" which Trucy (of course) ignored. Maya also tried to get out, but Pearl held her firmly, saying, "No, if you died the Mystics will be enraged! And I don't want to lose you, Master Maya!"

Then, to everyone's surprise, Apollo followed Trucy's footsteps and got out of the pentagram. He mumbled to himself, "I must be crazy," as he pulled Renata up and pushed Trucy to an area where the spirits didn't seem to pay attention to.

"Polly?" Trucy asked in disbelief.

"Don't ask me why, I'm not sure, either!" Apollo snapped and dodged a blow a violent looking spirit sent to him. "C-can we just move so we can get away from this… hellhole?"

Trucy glanced at him and saw that his lips were quivering, and realized how hard it was for him to simply remain standing without shivering in fear, and shouted an 'okay' cheerily. The two pulled Renata, who was too winded to talk, let alone walk, towards Raphael. Apollo continually jerked the girls to avoid some spirits, but he couldn't stop them from being wounded by them; nor could he stop himself from getting wounded.

"Raphael!" Renata yelled to her brother in pleading tone once they were close enough, but he didn't hear it. "Raphael, please! Raphael!"

He didn't hear what Renata said. He was still squeezing his eyes shut in concentration as he kept chanting, Ellie's screams masking his voice. Renata called him again, but still he didn't hear her. She walked and shook her brother, but it seemed that Raphael was disconnected from the world.

Finally losing her patience, Renata pulled the big, thick book out of her bag and used it to hit Raphael over the head. He stopped chanting instantly, looking at Renata with dumbfounded face, while the Gramarye siblings watched with dropped jaws, unable to believe that Renata was able to do such thing.

"Stop being a deaf thickheaded fool and listen to me!" Renata barked, receiving a surprised look from Raphael. "You need to stop now."

"No way, not until I can seal Rosanna permanently in that body."

"Look at the mirror!" Renata forcefully pulled Raphael to face the mirror. "See Ellie there?!"

Raphael could only gasp when he saw the image of whimpering and crying Ellie. She looked like she was hurt severely, although there was no wound visible to the eyes.

"Why is she – "

"It's the spell you keep on stubbornly chanting," Renata cut him. "Don't you know that the hourglass had shattered because of the pressure of my spell on it and your spell to trap her in?"

Raphael looked at her with surprised and – Apollo and Trucy wondered, was it guilt in his eyes? "Why should I care? As long as Rosanna's – "

"Listen to me!" Renata barked, leaving Raphael, Apollo, and Trucy frozen (after Apollo and Trucy squealed in surprise). "Don't you know that her physical body could get wounded if you wound her soul?!"

"No, she wouldn't! Rosanna's already inhabiting that body, so she wouldn't – " Raphael looked away and gulped before continuing, "I believe her body wouldn't be damaged. Rosanna already uses it. Even if the soul breaks, Rosanna will continue to live."

"Do you think Rosanna will be happy?" asked Renata quietly. "To live the life of a girl you practically kill for her? You know how she is. She wouldn't be happy, not at all."

Raphael looked away. For the first time, he seemed hesitant.

"Why is this stopping you now, though?" Renata continued, her tone indifferent. "It never stopped you before. You already knew Rosanna wouldn't be happy yet you still did what you did."

Raphael bit his lip and shook his head. "Break the mirror, that way she might be able to be free."

"'Might'?" Trucy repeated in disbelief.

"It's not good enough," Apollo said.

"It's the best offer I can give you," Raphael snarled. "I can't give a hundred percent guarantee she'll be alright."

"I hate to say it, but it's our best shot," Renata sighed.

"Fine," Trucy and Apollo grumbled.

"Hey, I said 'fine'," Trucy turned to Apollo. "I didn't just steal your catchphrase, did I?"

"Since when did 'fine' become my catchphrase anyway?" Apollo raised a brow.

"Duh, since forever maybe?"

"So, we just need to break the mirror, then?" asked Renata, ignoring the siblings' banter. Then she blinked. "Wait. That also have a high chance of damaging the soul!"

"If we don't do that the soul will never get out," Raphael's face was void of any emotion. "It's the only choice you've got."

"… break the mirror…"

Renata, Raphael, Trucy and Apollo turned to the mirror simultaneously. They saw the image of Ellie clutching her abdomen, face almost as white as paper, but the determined fire in her eyes was still alive, accompanied by pained look straining her face.

"But Ellie, the risk!" Apollo countered.

"It's better than this!" Ellie cried out. "It's so painful I wish I was dead."

"Alright then," Trucy said after a moment of silence. "Who's got a baseball bat?"

"Can't you just take it from your Magic Panties thingy?" Apollo mumbled.

"Of course not, what do you think my Magic Panties are? A store?"

"Why don't you just punch the mirror, Mr. Justice?" asked Raphael lazily. "You punched me before. That kind of strength could break any mirror easily."

"Oh yeah, just punch it, Polly!" Trucy agreed. "Your punch looked pretty awesome, by the way."

Raphael looked at Ellie, glaring fiercely. "I still think that I should keep you here so Rosanna can be saved, though," he said.

Ellie looked at him intently before repeating Skye's words, "Sometimes, you'll have wishes that are simply impossible to fulfill."

Raphael looked at her with dumbfounded expression hearing the maturity of her words. He wasn't quite sure if she made the phrase by herself, but he was sure that she understood it perfectly, seeing her firm stare despite the situation she was in.

"Okay, here goes," Apollo rolled up the already rolled up sleeves, and, closing his eyes, breaking the mirror with his bare hand.

The mirror shattered, and Ellie floated out of it. But her eyes suddenly widened as she said, "Oh no. I've got a bad feeling about this."

A wave of energy came out from the shattered mirror. Everyone collapsed as the surge of energy wiped everything.

Above all yells and yelps, two shrill screams filled the chaotic air.

* * *

A/N: Well... that's your next chapter. Sorry I couldn't keep my promise, I have so many homework. I haven't make some, actually... but I need a break from all those works. They just suck.

So that's how it is. I hope I have not-so-many homework tomorrow so I can post another chapter. Calm down, you only need to read the next chapter and the epilogue, and that's it, the story's finished.

And please review! Hit the cute little button to post your review below, please? I'm a bit sad no one reviewed, though I'm happy enough to finish the story... Okay, enough blabbing. Thanks for reading, see ya!


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"… Nick…"

Phoenix kept his eyes closed. Did he hear someone calling him just now?

"Nick! You're too young to die!"

Finally, Phoenix opened his eyes. "Huh? Maya?"

"Niiiicckkk! I thought you were dead for sure!" the spirit medium cried. "After that blast everyone just collapsed. I was the first to come to."

"What about the others?" Phoenix sat up and looked around. "Where's Trucy?"

"She's with Polly," Maya answered. "They woke up just before you, and – "

"EEP! Polly, your hand!"

"I'm fine! I'm okay!"

"But it's bleeding!"

"I said it's fine… it doesn't hurt that much."

"Liar! You're straining your face as if the glass is lodged in your skin." A moment of silence passed. "EEK! Polly, there _is_ a broken glass lodged in your hand!" She examined Apollo's hand further. "And there are little shards of glass, too! God, Polly, it'll be hard to pull them all out."

"Trucy, I'm fine, really!" however, his expression read, _Damn it hurts so much, gimme a painkiller!_

"Polly, stop wriggling your hand, the glass will be lodged deeper…"

"Trucy, stop, please! Wh-where's Ellie?!" Apollo cried out desperately, trying to keep Trucy's mind out of his still-bleeding hand.

To his relief, the trick worked.

Phoenix and Maya, hearing Apollo's words, also looked around in search of Ellie. They weren't really sure, but they thought they heard both Ellie and Rosanna's scream before they blacked out. But they didn't know if it meant that Ellie was safe in her body again, or Ellie's soul was gone forever, of even worse, both spirits were gone.

To their surprise, they found two identical girls lying on the floor, but one of them had purple-highlighted hair while the other had blonde-highlighted hair. Next to them, Ladon kneeled, looking at the blonde-highlighted-haired girl with unreadable expression on his face.

Slowly, the two girls stir. Once they opened their eyes, the girl with blonde-highlighted hair suddenly blurred – the outline of her body merged with her surroundings, and she just got that semi-translucent look. The two girls moaned simultaneously, looked at each other, and shrieked in terror.

"Ellie! Oh my God, are you still inside the mirror?!"

"Rosanna! You're… you look like a ghost!"

"Eh…" the blonde-highlighted girl looked at her hands and froze. "Oh…"

She looked back when she heard a sigh from Ladon who was still kneeling behind her. "I knew this wouldn't cut it," he said. "In order for a spirit to come back to life, another life must be sacrificed."

"Ladon, you aren't…" Rosanna's eyes widened in horror seeing Ladon's determined face. "Don't you dare sacrificing Ellie!"

"Says who I want to sacrifice her?" Ladon asked. Then he revealed a shard of glass in his hand and stabbed it into his stomach.

"Ladon!" Rosanna yelled in horror, lunging herself to Ladon, only to drive through his body. She yelled in frustration, turning back to check on him, only to find that her body was now solid and Ladon was having that semi-translucent body.

"Why did you…?" Ellie stuttered.

"Let's just say that this is my crazy way of avoiding anyone's death," Ladon answered.

"Doesn't it hurt?"

"Fortunately, no."

Rosanna sniffed. "I'm not going to see you again, am I?"

"You're the originally dead person. You tell me."

Rosanna half-laughed, half-snorted at his retort.

"This time, I'll be the one waiting for you," Ladon whispered to Rosanna.

"I'll see you in the afterlife," Rosanna whispered back. The two leaned closer, and Ellie was suddenly struck by a thought: did she have to see an image of herself kissing Ladon? Gross! The thought alone managed to frighten her; she didn't even bother to think about the romantic scene of the parting of two lovers in front of her again.

The couple leaned closer and closer while Ladon's image went fader and fader. Then, in the moment their lips should've touched, he vanished. To be honest, Ellie was more relieved because she wouldn't have to see 'herself' kissing Ladon. That kind of image would haunt her to the end of her life. Maybe even in the afterlife.

Rosanna stared blankly at the place where Ladon should be if he hadn't disappeared. Trucy sighed and muttered, "I'm sorry, Rosanna."

Rosanna looked up and gave her a small smile, sad but at the same time hopeful. "Don't be," she said. "He said he'd wait for me in the afterlife." The smile changed into a frown as she started to sob. "Sorry," she said, trying to stop her sobs, but to no avail. She sighed. "I wonder if he felt like this when I… left him."

"I don't know," Trucy whispered, "but I'm sure he's more hopeful now."

Rosanna forced a smile. "That, I'm sure as well." She stood up groggily and said, "Let's go home."

* * *

A/N: Hm. A short chapter, isn't it? Should've posted it with the epilogue... but it feels right like this, so no matter. (Just admit that you're lazy!)

So this is the last chapter before the very last one. I'm pretty happy about how the story turned out, it seems pretty logical to me. And besides, I don't have the time to revise it again... too much tests and homework. So enjoy, because I might not be able to post the epilogue tomorrow... but I promise I'll try.

Leave a review, maybe?


	20. Epilogue

Epilogue

In the end, everything was resolved. Raphael of course didn't want to, but Renata and Rosanna forced him to turn himself in to the police. Renata and Rosanna lived in Renata's apartment, and they bid farewell to the Wrights, Feys, and Gramaryes. Raphael was pretty much sure no one would hunt Ellie again – very few people knew about her existence. (Ellie: "Then how did you even know that I was here? Did you have some kind of weird CIA-like intel or something? You really are creepy guy, you know?")

Somehow, the pulse of energy sent after Ellie got out of the mirror, after Apollo shattered it with his bare fist (which, by the way, is bandaged after he was taken to the hospital to get the shards out) made everyone present in the warehouse and swept by the energy pulse somehow able to see and hear spirits. No one liked it. A bit of shouting and screaming might be involved (Phoenix: "Wh – what's happening?" Maya: "Eek! Is – is that a ghost?! Ellie! Take it back, take it back!" Trucy: "I suppose this is kinda cool… but it's a bit creepy, though.") but of course Ellie couldn't do anything about it. Once the sight was gifted to someone, it was impossible to take it back.

A week after the incident, Ellie was sitting in her usual spot on the roof with Kailani on her shoulder. She stared off into the sky with blank look on her face. Kailani chirped from her spot on Ellie's shoulder, and Ellie smack her lightly with her hand. Kailani chirped and protest.

"I'm not in the mood right now, Kai," Ellie grumbled.

The door opened with a bang and laughter erupted. Ellie scowled. There goes the silence she yearned for. Sometimes living in the Wright Anything Agency was simply too tiring; they were brimming with activity that a moment of silence could be prized a million gold coins. Ellie blinked. A million gold coins? What kind of game had she been playing lately?

Wait. On a second thought, there wasn't any time to play at all.

"Ellie!" Trucy greeted happily. "We figured you must be here."

"Hey," Ellie greeted back lazily.

"What's wrong?" Pearl asked. "You're safe now. Aren't you happy?"

Ellie looked back to the sky. "I don't know. I feel… empty, somehow."

"Why's that?" Apollo asked in confusion.

Ellie sighed. "I've spent my whole life being hunted. I feel like it's why I live, it's the purpose of my life. Now that I know no one would hunt me again, I feel kind of… lost."

"You're weird," Trucy said bluntly.

"As if you're not," Ellie rolled her eyes.

"You can't argue with that one, Trucy," Apollo said flatly.

"Why are you so mean?" Trucy pouted. "Anyway, Ellie, you're supposed to feel happy! Relieved! No one's going to try to kill you again."

"I know, I know!" Ellie yelled in frustration. "That's what I've been telling myself all this time. But still I feel I'm lost! I spent my life running away, but now, once I don't have to run, I have no idea what to do."

"So you changed your mind at the very end of that I'm-trapped-in-the-mirror incident and you don't know what to do with your life anymore?" Pearl asked innocently.

"Well… more or less…" Ellie didn't know what to answer.

"Why did you change your mind anyway?" Apollo asked suspiciously.

"Before I answer that, why did you all so set on rescuing me even though I didn't want to be rescued?" Ellie asked back.

"I don't know," Trucy replied bluntly, and Ellie could only look at her in shock. "No, really, even now I'm a bit confused. Maybe because I simply don't want anyone to die. Or probably because I'll miss you. But now that I think about it, I really don't want to lose anyone. Can you imagine a day without Polly and his noisy Chords of Steel?"

"Hey!"

Ellie chuckled. "Okay, I'll take that as an answer."

The doorbell rang. Ellie shot up in alert immediately. The events in the mirror incident may leave her unhurt, but only physically. Mentally, it was a different story. Probably because of the trauma, she became more alert whenever she met someone she didn't know, or even someone she knew but not close. She knew her family knew. She wanted to look like she was fine, she was okay, she survived the incidents unscathed, but she simply couldn't. She was scared, and she somehow forgot how to trust others except the ones she knew wouldn't betray her.

"That's Renata and Rosanna," Apollo said and Ellie visibly relaxed hearing their names. "They told us they wanted to come over. We went here to ask you to go down and join us."

"Okay," Ellie got up, stretched, and happily skipped down the stairs.

"Eh… Ellie, wait! You haven't told us about why you changed your mind!"

Ellie only smirked. "Renata, Rosanna! How are you? Say, did you bring a cake or something for us?"

~end

November 24, 2012

ElinaLin

* * *

A/N: It's finally over... so if I make another story afterwards, it shouldn't contain any spirit or something theme like this.

So here's the thing: I have two ideas for my next stories. One is about the one I've told you about; Apollo has a twin sister, Trucy and her smiles, etc. The other might be a bit more complicated than that. I wanted to be able to mash together all games of Gyakuten Saiban. So I came up with a plan of time-traveling. Since it's a bit complex, it'll probably have more OCs, since it's easier to make sense that way.

So which do you think I should make first? If I write one, doesn't mean the other will be forgotten, I'll write about it someday but I'll focus on the other one first. So please tell me what you think.


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